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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


11.25 


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■iWU 

U    11.6 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporatioii 


23  WEST  MAIN  S'  JIT 

WMST!}t,N.Y.  149M 

'7i6)t73-490a 


^^     <<S\,  '^fv\ 


»^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  dti  microraproductions  historiquas 


f 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  t>e  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


0 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 


D 


Coloured  cover?/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagto 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^  et/ou  pelliculAe 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


r~7|    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 


D 


along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  ;jerr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 

distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lore  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  film6es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mantaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  Att  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normaie  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


r~~|   Coloured  pages/ 


y 


D 
D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicul^es 


I — I    Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d4color6es,  tacheties  ou  piquAes 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  d^tachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prin 

Qualiti  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materit 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 


nTl    Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I   Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  4t6  film6es  A  nouveau  de  faqon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Th( 
to 


Th 
po 
of 

fill 


Or 
be 
th« 
sic 
oti 
fin 
sic 
or 


Th 
sh 
Til 
wl 

Ml 
dil 
en 
be 
rig 
re< 
m« 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-detsous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

2SX 

aox 

x/ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


a4x 


2SX 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grflce  h  la 
g^nArositi  de: 

La  bibiiothdque  des  Archives 
pubiiques  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  jre  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  en'Jing  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  At*  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exempiaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  ImprimAe  sont  fiimis  en  commenpant 
par  Ie  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration,  soit  par  Ie  second 
plat,  salon  ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exempiaires 
originaux  sont  fiimAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »>  (moaning  "CON-   : 
TINUED"),  or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

■Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
differ<«nt  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  Ie 


cas:  !e  symbols  — »>  signifie 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


'A  SUIVRE",  Ie 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  6tre 
filmfo  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  different  t. 
Lorsi^ue  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clichA,  ii  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angie  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'imag«s  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 


¥,% 


6 


THE 


EXILE'S  RETURN: 


* 


.OR 


NARRATIVE 


OF 


SAMUEL    SNOW, 


ii'-\y    i 


WHO  WAS 


BANISHED  TO  VAN  WEMAN'S  LAND, 


FOR 


PARTICIPATING   IN   THE  PATRIOT  WAR 

IN  UPPER  CANADA, 

IN  1§3S. 


CLEVELAND : 

PRINTED  BY   SMKAD   &   COWLES,   CENTRAL   BUILDINGS. 

1846. 


\ 


\ 


»*  1 


II  f 


m^rmi  KMm 


J^IT#0f 


•^-    ^-     ^j-. 


f^  K.- 


''  J^f  li  l#   1  ;^ 


COPY  RIGHT  SECURED. 


i^-i.4.',:    . 


''■ilM.'.J  kfl.l\--:i 


nf:i 


^•:<    *    Ai     -'H-^T     -^1    ?>m-/!f¥fr||.r,jj^.v^ 


i-ii/^:/  i  HU^^^j  >^| 


*«^i  rs 


cai^^^ji  > 


^<s^i^i^affia<0 


>■  ,:.  it   '  ■■■.n:};-    . 
,it     )-'•■■;)  I  -.i' 


)  I 


•>J  1  t<i  '  "I  "     ■■  '■ 


NARRATIVE. 


;  "1 


..'»      ■   f;.,f.      'i'>t. 


Tn  briefly  narrating  some  of  tlie  events  which  have  transpired 
during  the  last  eight  years  of  my  life,  I  shall  not  enter  into  a 
history  of  the  causes  of  the  disturbances  that  occurred  on  our  north- 
ern frontier,  and  in  the  Canadian  provinces,  a  few  years  ago,  for 
that  has  already  been  the  task  of  abler  historians  ;  and  shall 
merely  remark,  that  I  entered  the  Patriot  service  with  the  best  of 
motives,  only  wishing  that  our  Canadian  neighbors  might,  in  the 
end,  enjoy  the  same  civil,  religious,  and  political  freedom,  with 
which  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  were  blest. 

Myself  and  neighbors  who  engaged  in  the  enterprise,  were 
greatly  excited  by  the  outrages  which  had  been  committed  on  the 
persons  and  property  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  along  the 
line,  and  I  had  for  several  years  listened  with  a  good  deal  of  in- 
terest,  to  the  tales  of  oppression  and  tyranny,  from  our  Canadian 
brethren.  As  long  ago  as  1835  or  6,  I  listened  to  an  appeal  from 
Dr.  Duncomb,  in  the  court  house  in  Cleveland,  in  which  we  were 
informed  that  Liberty — the  inestimable  birthright  of  man — was 
unknown  on  the  other  side  of  Lake  Erie,  and  that  their  political 
grievances  wore  innumerable. 

My  feelings  of  sympathy  be'ig  aroused  by  such  stories  of  op- 
pression, I  left  my  home  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  1838,  in 
Slrongsville,  Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio,  and  proceeded  to  join  the 
Patriots,  at  their  place  of  rendezvous,  above  Detroit,  in  Michigan. 
On  reaching  this  place,  we  were  addressed  by  Gen.  Putnam,  our 
commander,  who  informed  us  that  the  Canadians  were  ready  and 
anxious,  with  arms,  amunition  and  provisions,  to  join  our  standard 
when  it  should  be  erected  on  their  shores  ;  but  these  hopes  proved 
delusive  :  not  a  Canadian  met  us  on  our  arrival  save  a  few  who 
joined  us  in  Michigan,  and  sonje  of  these  turned  traitors  soon 
after. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  December,  4th,  1838,  our  whole  num. 
ber  crossed  to  Windsor,  being  one  hundred  and  sixty  four  of  us, 
including  our  ofllcers.  Among  the  latter  were  Generals  Bierce 
and  Putnam  and  Cols.  Harvell  and  Scott.  We  went  over  on  a 
steamboat  obtained  the  night  before.    Upon  landing,  we  attacked 


Uio  British  barracks,  carried  them  by  storm  after  a  short  but  spir- 
ited resistance,  and  then  burnt  them.  In  this,  our  first  perform- 
ance on  British  soil,  we  had  occasion  to  rejoice ;  thirty  or  for- 
ty prisoners  fell  into  our  hands,  and  some  sixty  or  eighty  stands 
of  arms. 

We  now  took  marching  orders  for  Sandwich.  Before  leaving 
for  the  latter  place,  however,  we  burned  a  steam  boat  in  commem- 
moration  of  tlio  ill-fated  Caroline.  Col.  Ilarvell  shot  one  of  our 
own  men  at  the  barracks,  mistaking  him  for  a  British  regular  from 
the  red  overcoat  he  hnd  on.  I  have  since  been  informed  that  ho 
was  but  slightly  wounilcd,  and  returned  home  in  safety  On  the 
way  to  Sandwich  our  party  held  sacred  the  property  of  the  inhabit- 
ants ;  it  was  not  in  a  single  instance  violated,  to  my  knowledge. 
We  arrived  at  an  orchard  and  halted,  when  we  soon  discovered 
about  four  hundred  regulars  and  militia  approaching  us,  and  were 
soon  convinced  of  the  manner  in  which  they  intended  to  make  our 
acquaintance.  After  the  exchange  of  a  few  shots  wo  were  order- 
ed by  our  commander  to  retreat  to  a  wood  near  by.  In  this  short 
action,  and  in  our  retreat,  several  of  our  men  were  killed  and 
wounded  ;  the  exact  number  I  never  knew,  but  among  the  former 
was  (Jeu.  Putnam  and  Col.  Harwell.  I  saw  Gen.  Putnam  when 
he  fell.  :,..     .;,■ 

Some  of  our  party  being  killed,  wounded  and  taken  prisoner.", 
and  others  having  fled  in  different  directions,  so  few  of  us  reached 
the  wixKJs  that  it  was  considered  presumption  lor  u.s  to  attempt 
any  thing  further.  Mr.  Whilaker,  who  went  from  my  neigh- 
boihood,  and  another  young  man  who  reached  the  woods  with 
.;s,  were  both  wounded  in  the  skirmish.  We  brought  into  requisi- 
tion the  little  surgical  skill  wo  were  possessed  of,  in  dressing  their 
wounds,  and  recommended  them  to  g^  lo  a  house  a  short  distance 
otf,  and  ask  for  protection,  with  which  advico  they  reluctantly 
complied.  Thev  were  soon  after  found  by  their  pursuers,  taken 
to  Sandwich,  had  their  wounds  healed,  tried,  and  sentenced  to  bo 
hung ;  but  were  finally  pardoned  on  the  day  appointed  for  their 
execution,  and  returned  in  safety  to  their  homes. 

My.sclf  and  a  number  of  my  comrades,  wandered  in  the  woods 
the  remninder  of  that  unfortunate  day,  and  at  night,  cold  weary 
and  hungry,  we  built  a  fire  and  lay  down  to  rest.  Some  time  in 
the  night,  when  all  was  silent,  and  the  fire  nearly  extinguished,  a 
flash  of  light  was  seen,  followed  by  a  loud  report,  which  brought 
every  man  of  us  from  our  horizontal  posture,  with  the  dexterity 
of  minute  men.  We  at  first  supposed  we  had  been  fired  upon  by 
Indians,  skulking  in  the  tops  of  fallen  trees  ;  but  the  true  cause 
of  our  alarm  was  soon  ascertained.  One  of  our  party,  who  had 
a  large  quantity  of  powder  in  his  pocket,  had  taken  quarters  too 
near  the  fire,  and  from  some  cause  these  incompatiblos  were 
brought  in  contact,  and  the  noise  ensued.  This  circumstance  con- 
vinced us  fully  that  "  gunpowder  will  explode."     Our  comrade's 


rt  but  8pif . 
It  perform- 
)y  or  for. 

ity  stands 

e  leaving 
coinnioni- 
G  of  our 
ular  from 
that  ho 
On  the 
e  inhabit- 
low  ledge, 
iscovered 
and  were 
•nako  our 
3ro  order- 
ibis  short 
illed  and 
le  former 
am  when 

irisonerf!, 
s  reached 
•  attempt 
«y  neigh- 
Jods  witJi 
0  requisi- 
'ng  their 
distance 
uctantly 
«.  taken 
ed  to  be 
or  their 

0  woods 

weary 
time  in 
ished,  a 
Jrought 
ixterity 
pon  by 

cause 
ho  had 
Brs  too 
»  were 
9  con- 


trusty  pocket,  as  might  be  readily  supposed,  was  soon  emptied  of 
its  contents,  and  his  person,  as  well  as  the  adjacent  j)art3  of  his 
wardrobe,  showed  that"  villainous  saltpetre  must  be  ke|)t  oool." 
We  left  our  friend  in  the  morning,  at  ihe  house  of  a  Frenchman, 
and  continued  our  route.  Myself  and  two  others  took  to  the  ice  on 
St.  Clair  river,  anri  after  travelling  all  day,  found  supper  and  lodg- 
ing at  the  hous'j  of  a  man  whose  name  I  have  since  forgotten. 
In  the  morning  we  continued  up  the  St.  Clnlr ;  passed  a  Camp  of 
Indians  who  offered  us  no  molestation  ;  and  towards  night  came  to 
Baubeo's  ferry.  The  ferryman  had  received  Instructions  to  tako  no 
one  across  the  river,  who  had  not  a  pass  from  the  Captain  of  the 
guard.  We  wont  boldly  to  the  captain,  and  requested  permission 
of  him  to  cross  over,  but  were  told  that  in  consequence  of  the  late 
disturbance  at  Sandwich,  he  should  be  under  the  necessity  of 
detaining  us,  and  sending  us  back  ;  and  if  we  were  not  recogniz- 
ed as  belonging  to  the  Patriot  service,  we  could  then  cross  iljo 
river.  " 

We  were  soon  started  off,  and  on  our  way  we  fell  in  with  seve- 
ral of  our  party  on  their  way  to  Chatham.  Upon  our  arrival  at 
this  place,  we  were  brought  before  a  magistrate  for  examination. 
It  was  now  night ;  no  witnesses  appeared  an;ainst  us,  and  after 
the  slight  examination  was  over,  we  were  sent  across  the  river  to 
the  guard  house  for  safe  keeping.  A  squad  of  soldiers  were  plac- 
ed over  us  that  night,  who  seemed  very  much  interested  in  our 
behalf  and  virHEREABOUTs,  till  morning. 

In  the  evening  we  were  visited  by  a  party  of  Indians,  at  tho 
guard  room.  They  asked  one  of  our  party,  named  Albert  Clark, 
where  he  came  from.  Clark  answered,  "  from  Cleveland."  "0» 
from  Cleveland,"  replied  an  old  Indian.  "  what  for  you  come 
here  ?  "  "  To  buy  land."  "Good  land  on  Cuyahoga — me  been 
there."  "Yes,"  replied  our  friend,  "but  land  is  very  dear  on 
the  Cuyahoga."  "  Yes,  yes,  but  you  be  one  very  pretty  man;  me 
sorry  you  come  ovei'here,"  (patting  his  hand  on  Clark's  head.) 

We  slept  but  little  that  night,  "jr  we  could  overhear  the  guard 
conversing  about  the  affair  at  Windsor  and  Sandwicli,  and  Icarneti 
that  quite  a  number  of  prisoners  had  been  shot  by  ouder  of  Col. 
Prince,  and  that  five  more  were  to  be  disposed  of  in  the  same 
summary  manner,  in  the  morning.  This,  we  supposed,  had  ref 
erence  to  ourselves  ;  but  instead  of  beiiig  snot  when  morninij 
came, we  were  remanded  again  before  the  magistrate,  to  undergo 
another  examination  ;  here  we  found  several  more  of  our  party  : 
two  of  them  were  sick,  and  one  of  them,  by  the  name  of  Sydney 
Barber,  from  Michigan,  had  Tocoived  a  wound  in  hia  retreat  to 
the  woods.  This  Barber,  together  with  one  MoDougal  and  Geo. 
Putnam,  had  now  become  Queen's  witnesses,  to  save  their  own 
necks  from  the  halter.  This  did  not  look  to  me  like  administer, 
ing  equal  and  exact  justice  to  all ;  but  I  could  take  no  exceptioi) 
to  the  proceedings.  ,.*  i         < 


6 

Fourteen  of  us  were  now  escorted  up  to  Loudon,  by  a  giiard  of 
soldiers;  of  twice  our  niunbcr,  it  bciuj^  understood  tbut  those  on 
the  sick  list  were  to  be  broufrht  on  in  slei{^hs.  Soon  after  our  ar- 
rival we  wore  partially  oxainliie,d  before  a  justinn  of  the  peace, 
and  then  sent  to  be  tried  by  court  uiartial.  Three,  four,  and 
half  a  dozen  at  a  time,  were  called  up  before  the  judge  advocate, 
where  the  witnesses  lor  the  crown,  were  waiting  to  convict  whom 
they  pleased.  The  prisoners  were  not  permiiied  to  interrogate 
iho  wituf'ssL's,  but  the  questions  we  wished  to  ask  must  bo  given 
to  the  judge,  and  he  would  put  them  to  the  witnesses  in  the  shape 
that  suited  him  best. 

At  the  trial,  tluee  of  the  |)risoners  concluded  they  would  not, 
to  save  their  own  lives,  become  Queen's  evidence,  but  would  try 
their  luck  by  '•  becoming  ibols,"  and  two  of  the  number  succeed- 
ed well.  Tlie  first  was  an  old  man;  he  could  be  cra/y  or  Imvo 
lits  just  when  he  pleased,  and  he  received  the  bcneiit  of  this 
gift  by  being  accjuitted  on  account  of  his  insanity.  Non  'compos 
mrntus  cleared  the  second  one,  but  he  came  near  being  convicted 
for  being  too  much  of  a  fool.  The  third  (»ne  appeared  so  dirty, 
greasy,  ragged  and  hujigry.  liiat  the  benevolent  judge  advocate 
no  doubt  thought  it  would  be  a  blessirig  to  him  to  be  sentenced, 
and  acted  accordingly. 

After  the  trials  were  concluded,  they  commenced  picking  out 
the  fat  sheep  for  hanging.  Those  who  had  held  military  ofHoe  in 
tiie  Patriot  scrviot;  come  under  this  head,  and  were  publicly  e,\- 
ecuted.  7Mie  names  of  those  hung  at  this  time  were  lliram  H. 
I^ynn  of  Michigan  ;  Daniel  F).  Bedlbrd,  Colonel  Cuiminghani  and 
(Jilman  G.  Doane,  Canadians  ;  and  Albert  Clarke  and  Amos 
I'erley,  of  Cleveland. 

On  the  tirsl  of  April,  1839,  eighteen  of  us  in  nund)er  were 
started  for  Toronto  in  wagons,  where  we  arriv«'d  about  the  8i:ith 
or  seventh  of  the  same  month.  VVc  remained  in  Toronto  about 
two  months,  and  during  this  time  ou'-  fare  was  not  of  that  sort  to 
)nake  us  feel  gouty,  or  look  aldermanlike,  it  consisted  of  one 
and  a  half  pounds  of  bread  and  one  cjuart  of  pea  soup  per  vviin, 
and  we  were  crodibly  informed  that  the  relative  pro|)ortion  of 
ingredients  used  in  manufacturing  the  soup,  was  three  peas  to  a 
quart  of  water. 

From  Toronto  we  were  taken  to  Fort  Henry  at  Kingston,  where 
we  ft)und  the  Prescott  prisoners,  who  were  taken  atthr  Wind  Mill 
on  the  16th  of  November,  IcjJid.  It  is  well  known  that  Van 
Shultz,  and  Cols.  Abbey  and  Woodruft',  who  were  the  principal 
officers  taken  at  the  Wind  Mill,  were  hung  at  Kingston  in  De 
eember,  tS38.  These  brave  men  were  deserving  of  a  better 
fate. 

Van  Shultz  was  a  Polish  exile,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  thirly.one  years  of  age.  lie  had  distinguished  himself, 
in  1830,  in  ^iirhting  against  Russia,  and  in  defence  of  his  own 


to 


^y  ^^giJird  of 
t'lal  tlio.s«  on 
'I  alter  our  ar. 
or  tli(>  peace, 
f^^y  i'lw,  and 
li^o  advocate, 
convict  whom 
interro/irate 
Hist  bo  given 
^  i"  the  shape 

y  ^vould  not, 
ut  would  try 
l>(M'  succeed. 
rnzy  or  iiavo 
ene/it  of  this 
^on  'compos 
»;?  oonvicted 
red  so   dirty, 
''ko  udvoca'fe 
'c  sentenced, 

pickiiifT  out 
«»'y  otfice  hi 
publicly  ex. 
"  iiirani  H. 
"'%'imm  and 

nnhor  were 
lit  (he  si:rth 
ronto  about 
that  sort  to 
sted  of  one 

3|>ortion  of 
peus  to  a 

!ton,  where 
^Vind  Mill 
that   Van 
pnncipa! 
jn  in  De 
a  better 

^is  death 

iiirnself, 

his  own 


unfortunate  and  down-trodden  country — was  about  to  bo  marriCvl 
to  nn  American  lady  ul  rfaiina,  N.  Y.,  and  was  beloved  by  every 
person  who  knew  liim. 

Col.  Dorophus  Abbey  was  a  native  of  Connecticut — by  pro- 
fossion  a  printer — was  in  good  circumstances  ;  and  his  only  ob- 
ject in  entering  the  Patriot  service  was  to  give  liberty  to  an  op- 
pressed people. 

Col.  Martin  Woodruff  was  deputy  sheriff  of  Onondaga  county, 
N.  Y.  The  tragedy  of  his  execution  is  tlius  described  by  the  ed-r 
itor  of  the  Kingston  Spectator: — "This  gallant  soldier  was 
brought  from  Fort  Henry  upon  a  carter's  rough  train,  attendisd 
by  two  priests,  escorted  by  a  party  of  volunteer  cavalry  to  the 
Jail,  and  soon  after  to  the  door  leading  to  the  scaffold,  when  the 
sheriff  road  Arthur's  warrant  to  execute  hira.  He  was  then 
placed  on  the  platform,  the  cap  pulled  over  his  face,  and  the  hang- 
man placed  the  rope  to  a  hook  in  the  beam  over  his  head.  The 
platform  fell,  and  presented  a  revolting,  disgusting  and  disgrace- 
ful scene.  The  knot,  instead  of  drawing  tight  under  his  ear,  was 
brought  to  the  chin  ;  it  did  not  slip,  but  left  space  enough  to  put 
a  hand  within  ;  the  chief  weight  of  the  body  bearing  upon  the 
rope  at  the  back  of  the  neck.  The  body  was  in  great  agitation, 
and  seemed  to  suffer  greatly.  The  spectators  said  it  was  a 
shameful  management,  when  two  hangman  came  out,  endeavored 
to  .strangle  the  sufferer,  and  not  having  succeeded,  they  returned 
again  to  their  disgusting  work.  His  neck  was  not  broken  till  the 
iiangman  on  the  cross-tree  had  pulled  him  up  by  the  collar,  and 
let  him  fall  four  times  in  succession." 

After  our  arrival  at  Fort  Henry,  our  fare  was  better  than  at 
Toronto.  We  were  permitted  to  go  out  and  play  ball  once  a  day 
for  exercise,  but  strictly  watched  all  the  while  by  British  regu- 
lars, "  armed  and  equipped  as  the  law  directs."  We  remained 
prisoners  at  Kingston  till  September,  1839,  when  a  company  of 
eighty-two  of  us  were  sent  to  Quebec,  and  put  on  board  the  Eng- 
lish ship  Buffalo,  Captain  Wood,  and  on  the  28th  of  that  Month, 
weighed  anchor,  and  set  sail  down  the  St.  Lawrence  without 
knowing  the  place  of  our  destination.  When  we  went  on  board 
the  ship,  we  found  here  fifty-eight  French  prisoners  from  Lower 
Canada,  placed  here  for  the  same  offence  which  we  had  commit- 
ted, and  like  ourselves  bound  to  parts  unknown.  'T'his  increased 
our  Patriot  force  to  one  hundred  and  forty,  a  number  sufficientto 
have  done  a  good  business  in  a  good  cause,  under  auspicious  cir- 
cumstances, had  the  "area  of  our  freedom"  been  extended,  in- 
stead of  abridged.  These  French  prisoners  informed  us,  that 
they  had  undergone  a  sham  examination  before  a  court  martial, 
and  like  the  rest  of  us,  had  received  no  sentence,  which  left  Us  in 
the  dark  as  to  tli.  enormity  of  our  crimes,  and  the  penalty  which  we 
were  doomed  1-  suffer.  They  being  arrested  in  their  own  coup- 
try,  amongst  their  relatives  and  friends,  were  permittod  to  brfng 


8 

aboard  their  trunks,  chests,  clothing  and  money  with  them,  which 
made  their  condition  tolerable,  in  comparison  with  ours,  who 
were  deprived  of  all  these  necessaries. 

We  were  now  fast  leaving  the  shores  of  Canada,  without  a 
sinri3  wish  to  remain  longer  under  the  tyrannical  government  of 
Sir"  George  Arthur ;  but  when  the  thoughts  of  fether,  mother, 
wife  and  children,  together  with  "  the  land  of  the  free  and  the 
home  of  the  brave,"  came  over  us,  our  feelings  could  not  be  easi- 
ly suppressed.  Our  fate  was  hid  in  the  dark  future,  and  even 
hope  was  little  inclined  to  flatter  us,  that  we  should  ever  re- 
turn to  our  native  land.     Truly  wc  could  now  say  to  our  coint- 

try. 

We  part  with  thee, 
As  wretches  that  are  doubtful  of  hereafter  :  ;  <  ■> 

Part  with  their  lives,  unwilling,  Lath  and  fearfuir  '  '    '  '■' 

Andtrembling at  futurity.  ,1   ,-., -,,     .?•  ..•■:l   ■     r 

In  a  few  days  we  passed  out  of  the  St.  Lawrence  into  the  broad 
Atlantic,  and  soon  found  we  were  going  south,  which  convinced 
us  that  we  were  not  bound  to  England.  Some  of  our  party  suf- 
fered much  during  the  first  few  weeks  of  our  voyage,  from  sea- 
sickness. But  one  of  our  number  died  at  sea;  Asa  Puest  was 
relieved  of  future  sufferings  by  death,  a  few  weeks  after  leaving 
Quebec,  and  was  thrown  overboard. 

During  the  voyage  we  were  kept  upon  the  lower  deck,  with  the 
exception  of  being  allowed  once  a  day  to  go  above  for  a  short 
time  for  exercise.  This  indulgence  was  not  allowed  to  all  at  the 
same  time.  Generally  four  messes,  of  twelve  men  eacli,  were  or- 
dered up  at  a  time.  After  we  had  traversed  the  length  of  the 
deck  a  few  times,  looked  out  upon  the  broad  ocean,  and  inhaled  a 
few  doses  of  fresh  air,  we  were  again  remanded  below,  and  oth- 
ers who  were  awaiting  the  privilege,  took  our  places.  Our  ra- 
tions on  board  the  Buffalo  were  similar  to  our  fare  at  Toronto — 
'^  rather  small  and  7iot  many  of  them."  If  I  rightly  remember,  the 
orders  given  to  the  commissary  in  the  distribution  of  our  fodder 
was,  FOUR  UPON  TWO,  that  is,  four  of  us  ought  to  have  what  two 
of  the  marines  did  have ;  but  instead  of  these  directions  being 
strictly  adhered  to,  I  am  sure  that  on  many  occasions,  a  whole 
BRIGADE  UPON  ONE,  would  havc  been  nearer  the  fact.  Not  that 
the  gift  of  an  English  marine  is  better  than  ours,  in  discussing 
the  important  subject  of  PORK  and  beans,  but  at  this  time  their 
privileges  we.e  more  exclusive. 

Thus  time  wore  slowly  away,  as  we  week  after  week  were  ma- 
king to  some  unknown  port,  and  at  times  conld  almost  rejoice  at 
our  ignorance.  We  had  no  irons  upon  us  on  ship  board,  Captain 
Wood  being  satisfied,  at  the  time  of  our  first  introduction  to  him 
at  Quebec,  that  we  were  not  very  bad  men,  tfnd  the  only  restraitvt 
Wid  upon  us  on  our  outward  passage  was  tliat  of  WoBAr,  suasion, 
er4brced  at  the  point  of  the  bavc.^t. 


9 


I 


One  day  while  we  were  off  the  American  coast,  two  of  our  par- 
ty were  conversing  together,  and  were  overheard  to  say,  "How 
easily  this  ship  might  be  taken  by  us,  if  we  were  all  agreed,  and 
that  too  without  killing  a  man.  We  could  then  run  into  some  of 
the  United  States  ports,  as  we  have  an  old  navigator  among  our 
number,  or  we  would  land  on  some  rock,  in  preference  to  being 
here." 

This  conversation  was  overheard  by  a  man,  w  ho  straightway 
informed  the  Captain,  that  a  party  was  being  organized  on 
board  to  take  the  ship.  For  this  important  imformation  to  the 
Captain,  this  person  expected  to  be  liberated  and  rewarded  ;  but 
instead  of  it,  he  was  hated  by  those  he  intended  to  betray,  and 
despised  by  the  whole  ship's  crew,  for  his  story  proved  to  be  false- 
We  were,  however,  all  ordered  to  the  middle  deck  by  the  offi- 
cers, and  the  hatches  closed  upon  us  immediately ;  diligent  search 
was  made  for  weapons  of  destruction,  but  none  being  found,  and 
no  signs  of  mutiny  appearing,  we  were  again  liberated,  and  our 
informer  severely  reprimanded.  But  in  order  to  intimidate  us, 
the  sentries  in  the  hatches  were  more  severe  towards  the  prison- 
ers, keeping  them  at  a  greater  distance  by  flourishing  their  swords, 
and  for  a  while  every  sailor  and  marine  kept  their  arms  of  de- 
fence about  them. 

One  day  the  pistol  of  one  of  the  sentries  accidentally  went  olf 
as  he  was  sitting  on  his  post  by  the  hatchway  below,  and  the  ball 
passed  between  Lysandcr  Curtis  and  Robert  Marsh,  who  were 
seated  by  me  on  a  bench  conversing  together,  but  no  one  was 
hurt.  In  a  moment  the  officers  were  all  below  to  see  what  had 
happened,  supposing  that  the  sentry  must  have  had  occasion  to 
shoot  a  man,  but  in  this  they  were  happily  disappointed. 

The  first  and  only  port  we  stopped  at  during  llie  voyage  was 
Rio  Janerio,  in  South  America.  The  time  of  our  being  there  I 
have  forgotten,  but  recollect  thoy  were  making  a  great  show  and 
rumpus  in  celebrating  the  birth-day  of  the  Emperor  of  Brazil. — 
There  seemed  to  be  a  good  harbor  here,  and  the  view  we  had  of 
the  town,  ^rom  where  we  were  at  anchor,  was  tielightful.  A  re- 
spectable fleet  of  shipping  was  lying  there  ;  every  civilized  na- 
tion seemed  to  be  represented  there  by  their  flag,  and  among 
them  all,  none  showed  to  better  advantage  than  the  stars  and 
stripes  of  our  own  beloved  country.  We  wrote  letters  home  from 
here,  and  sent  them  ashore  to  be  forwarded ;  mine  was  never  re- 
ceived  by  my  family.  Those  of  the  prisoners  who  had  money, 
sent  up  to  the  town  and  bought  oranges,  lemons,  bananas,  pine- 
app)e;»,  &c.  A  British  Admiral  came  on  board  our  ship,  inquired 
as  tt»  the  health  of  the  prisoners,  and  said  we  should  have  vegeta- 
bles and  fresh  provisions  while  we  remained.  We  lay  at  Rio 
.lanoiro  three  days,  took  on  water  and  provisions,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded again  to  our  unknown  haven. 

We  suffered  much  from  heat  and  thirst  while  we  were   sailing 


10 

between  the  tropics,  and  the  water  on  board  getting  short,  we  were 
put  upon  an  allowance  of  one  and  a  half  pints  per  day.  After 
doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  entering  the  Indian  Ocean, 
our  convictions  were  strong  that  we  were  bound  for  Van  Die- 
man's  Land,  and  soon  after,  our  suspicions  were  confirmed  by  the 
sentries  telling  us  that  that  would  be  the  end  of  our  voyage. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1840,  after  a  voyage  of  four  and  a 
half  months  from  Quebec,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Island,  but  the 
wind  blowing  strong  from  the  shore,  we  could  not  enter  the  mouth 
of  the  river  till  the  I2th,  when  we  sailed  up  the  Derwent  thirty 
miles,  and  cast  anchor  in  HobartTown  Bay.  This  bay  we  found 
to  be  a  calm  and  safe  place  for  ships  to  ride.  We  knew  it  was 
know  mid-winter  in  the  United  States,  and  it  appeared  a  little  sin- 
gular to  see  the  sun  to  the  north  of  us,  and  the  people  harvesting 
ofrain  on  the  banks  of  the  Derwent. 

On  the  13th,  we  were  visited,  on  board  the  Buffalo,  by  Mr.  Gunn, 
the  Chief  Police  Miigistrato,  who  registered  all  of  our  names,  oc- 
cupations, and  former  places  of  residence  ;  and  on  the  14th,  we 
were  sent  on  shore  to  a  place  called  Sandy  Bay,  about  three- 
flourths  of  a  mile  from  Hobart  Town. 

Thus  we  finally  found  ourselves  again  on  terra  Jirnia,  on  the 
celebrated  as  well  as  notorious  Van  Dicman's  Island  ;  situated  as 
I  should  think,  without  consulting  geographers,  on  the  very  south- 
eastern  outskirts  of  habitable  creation. 

This  island  was  discovered  by  a  Dutch  navigator,  in  1641,  and 
was  named  Van  Dieman's  Land  in  honor  of  Anthony  Van  Die- 
man,  Governor  of  Dutch  East  India.  Its  discoverer  described 
this  island  in  so  graphic  and  singular  a  manner,  that  future  navi- 
gators were  afraid  to  pay  it  a  visitation  for  many  years,  and  little 
was  known  of  it  till  Capt.  Cook  sailed  round  it  during  the  last 
century.  A  spot  of  earth,  "  accursed  in  the  sight  of  the  mariner, 
when  the  winds  roared  and  raged  ;  where  waves  foamed  and  lashed 
and  where  dundeu  and  blixum  growled  and  flashed  incessantly — 
a  land  of  storm,  fire  and  tempest — a  coast  rife  with  death,  horror 
and  shipwreck,"  would  not  be  likely  to  hold  out  many  induce- 
ments to  those  who  could  find  a  home  elsewhere.  In  1804,  the 
penal  colony  of  Botany  Bay  made  choice  of  it  as  "  a  station  for 
the  condign  punishment  of  their  doubly  convicted  felons." 

We  are  told  that  Rome  owed  its  greatness  to  the  asylum  it  first 
ofTcred  to  fugitives,  vagal)onds,  outlaws,  and  culprits  of  all  other 
countries.  These,  at  Rome,  became  lawful  citizens  ;  and  we  are 
sure,  that  at  no  time,  could  Rome  show  a  more  desperate  crowd  of 
ruflianR,  than  has  constituted  the  convict  population  of  Van  Die- 
man's  Land,  since  its  settlement  by  the  English.  Four  hundred 
convicts  were  sent  from  Sidney,  or  Botany  Bay,  in  1804,  under 
(^ol.  Collins  and  fifty  marines,  who  landed  on  the  spot  now  occu- 
pied  by  Ilobart  Town,  and  commenced  the  first  settlement  on  the 
Island.  '  ..  \    -    . 


11 


rt,  we  were 

ay.     After 

ian  Ocean, 

Van  Die- 

med  by  the 

ayage. 

lour  and  a 

nd,  but  the 

I"  the  nnouth 

went  thirty 

ly  we  found 

ew   it   wns 

a  little  sin- 

harvesting 

Mr.  Gunn, 
names,  oe- 
3  14th,  we 
Ijout  three- 

ma,  on  the 

situated  as 

very  south- 

n 1641, and 
(  Van  Die- 
r  described 
uture  nnvi- 
!,  and  little 
n^  the  last 
10  mariner, 

and  lashed 
iessantly — 
ith,  horror 
ny  inducc- 
I  1804,  the 

station  for 

IS." 

lum  it  first 
nfall  other 
md  we  are 
te  crowd  of 
Van  Die- 
>r  hundred 
104,  under 
now  occu- 
ent  on  the 


I 
1 


For  two  or  three  years,  this  company  was  busy  in  building  a 
jail,  a  tavern,  a  soldier's  barracks,  and  a  government  house  ;  and 
to  this  day,  these  arc  the  most  important  public  institutions  on  the 
island,  in  comparison  with  which,  churches  and  seminariesof  learn- 
ing, are  non-essentials,  in  perpetuating  the  supremacy  of  British 
rule.  Tlie  natives  found  on  the  island  at  this  time,  were  in  a  state 
of  nakedness,  covered  with  filth,  having  no  form  of  government  save 
ihe  patriarchal,  of  a  short  stature,  large  woolly  heads,  flat  noses 
like  the  Africans,  high  cheek  bones  like  the  American  Indian, 
broad  face,  and  of  a  dark  complexion.  They  have  now  become 
nearly  extinct. 

The  island  contains  about  24,000  square  miles — is  situated  in 
lat.  41  dog.  20  min.  S.,  and  long.  144  deg.  40,  and  148  deg.  20, 
li.,  and  is  150  miles  in  width  and  210  in  length,  south  of  New  Hol- 
land, from  which  it  is  separated  by  Bass  Straits.  In  1841,  the 
iVee  population  of  the  island,  was  about  50,000,  of  which  number, 
20,000  was  transported  convicts,  who  had  gained  their  freedom, 
and  22,000  convicts,  and  in  1842,  arrangements  were  made  to  give 
an  accession  of  10,000  both  to  the  free  and  convict  population. — 
Of  the  convicts,  7,000  are  females.  Ilobart  Town,  from  the  best 
of  my  knowledge,  contains  about  8,000  injjabitants.  Tlie  princi- 
pal animal  found  here  by  the  Colonists,  was  the  Kangaroo.  There 
are  several  species  of  snakes,  and  all  that  I  ever  saw,  were  said  to 
be  venomous.  Among  the  birds  may  be  found  the  parrot,  magpie, 
cockatoo,  emu,  large  black  swan,  &c.  The  face  of  the  country  is 
rugged,  and  not  one  halfof  the  islatidcan  bosaid  to  bo  arableland, 
and  irrigation  is  necessary  to  induce  a  good  share  of  this  to  yield  a 
tolerable  crop.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  natives  formerly,  to  set 
fire  to  the  woods  in  every  part  of  the  Island,  during  the  dry  season, 
which  s[)read  with  so  much  rapidity,  that  it  would  drive  the  Kan- 
garoo to  points  of  safety,  where  they  were  easily  taken  by  the  na- 
tives for  food,  and  opposums  and  other  smaller  animals  could  be 
(bund  in  the  burnt  districts,  ready  .roasted,  in  quantities  sulHcient  to 
supply  the  Islanders  with  food  for  a  long  time.  Vegetation  does 
not  grow  spontaneously  to  any  degree  of  luxuriance,  as  iburacres 
of  the  native  soil,  will  hardly  produce  weeds  and  Kangaroo  grass, 
sufficient  to  support  two  sheep;  and  clover  and  timothy  do  not 
grow  very  well  except  on  land  which  has  been  irrigated.  Oats 
and  barley  are  the  prin(:i[»al  crops  relied  on  by  the  farmers  ;  wheat 
being  frequently  cut  off  by  frosts,  though  the  climate  is  generally 
mild  throughout  the  year.  Potatoes  an?  blasted  in  the  midland 
districts,  from  the  same  cause,  very  often,  but  the  other  parts  of 
die  island  supply  them  in  tolerable  ubundance. 

Upon  our  arrival  here,  Sir  John  Franklin  wns  Lieutenant 
(jovernor  of  the  Island  ;  \w  was  a  very  old  man,  and  is  known 
the  world  over,  as  being  a  noted  English  navigator.  He  had 
been  employed  by  the  English  government  in  several  jxploring 
expeditious,  and  voyages  of  discovery.     His  imbecillity,  "  tJiat 


12 


last  infirmity  of  noble  minds,"  now  gave  opportunity  to  the  de- 
signing members  of  his  cabinet,  to  govern  the  affairs  of  the  col- 
ony in  a  manner  which  suited  their  caprice.  Sir  John's  "  illus- 
trious predecessor"  in  office,  was  Sir  George  Arthur,  who  was 
transferred  from  Van  Diaman's  Land  to  the  Governor  General- 
ship of  Canada.  He  was  the  tyrant  that  signed  the  death  war- 
rants of  Von  Shultz,  Abbey,  Woodruff  and  others,  before  I  left 
America.  He  had  served  in  the  capacity  of  Governor  of  Van 
Dieman's  island,  thirteen  years;  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  all,  who 
were  acquainted  with  his  administration  here,  that  Pharaoh  of 
Egypt  established  a  more  moderate  system  of  police,  and  gov- 
erned the  children  of  Israel  with  greater  lenity,  than  was  mani- 
fested  by  this  scourge  to  the  human  race,  towards  his  subjects, 
while  clothed  with  brief,  but  arbitrary  authority.  A  little  may  be 
learned  of  his  cruelty  and  despotism,  where  the  records  of  the 
colony  affirm,  that  during  his  governorship  of  tliirteen  years,  he 
signed  fifteen  hundred  and  kight  death  warrants,  and  only 
EIGHT  of  these  condemned  persons  were  saved  from  the  gallows, 
and  these  were  sentenced  to  toil  in  irons  the  remainder  of  their 
days,  a  fate  worse  than  death  itself,  so  that  his  very  acts  of  royal 
clemency  were  but  the  most  aggravated  specimens  of  his  cruelty. 
Many  of  the  citizens  could  not  fell  what  were  the  crimes  of  these 
victims,  for  which  they  were  executed  ;  these  were  secrets  with 
the  Governor  and  his  officers. 

The  gallows  on  which  these  fifteen  hundred  culprits  were  hung, 
was  erected  in  sight  of  Arthur's  own  dwelling,  and  the  hangmatt 
generally  done  up  his  business  early  in  the  morning  ;  and  it  was 
no  uncommon  sight  for  the  citizens  of  Hobart  Town  to  see  a  dozen 
convicts  suspended  at  once,  and  their  dead  bodies  left  dangling 
the  whole  day,  a  spectacle  for  every  eye.  Ilis  Excellency  seemed 
better  to  relish  a  good  English  breakfa.««t  of  **  beef  and  porter," 
after  satiating  his  vision  in  the  morning,  by  such  horrid  sights. 

Of  the  six  thousand  natives  who  used  to  live  upon  this  island, 
the  most  of  them  were  hunted  down  and  exterminated  during  his 
residence  there;  only  about  eighty  now  remain  of  the  whoh- 
number,  and  they  are  kept  as  prisoners  on  a  small  island  in  the 
vicinity.  When  Sir  George  was  recalled  and  sent  to  Canada,  hi.'^ 
loyal  subjects  unanimously  manifested  their  affection  by  kind- 
ling bonfires,  firing  cannon  and  guns,  and  by  various  other  signi- 
ficant demonstrations.  On  his  departure,  a  delegation  was  sent 
to  read  to  him  an  address,  expressive  of  the  unbounded  gratitude 
and  pleasure  of  the  citizens,  at  the  termination  of  his  lengthened 
mal-administrnlion,  and  the  festivity  attendant  upon  this  event 
continued  ten  successive  days  and  nights.  The  poor  Canadians 
had  occasion  to  say  to  their  Van  Dieman's  Land  brethren  soon 
after,  "though  that  was  sport  to  you,  k  was  death  to  us."  We 
believe  this  modern  personifioation  of  Dionysius,  the  tyrant,  was 
transferred  from  the  Governor-Generalship  of  Canada  to  Bombay, 


IS 


secrets  with 


in  the  East  Indies ;  if  so,  another  of  the  British  dependencies  can, 
ere  this,  add  its  testimony  of  his  unmollified  method  of  administer- 
ing governmental  affairs. 

1  will  now  recur  to  our  landing  upon  the  island.  At  Sandy 
Bay  we  were  divested  of  our  threadbare  garments,  and  enrobed 
in  nice  suits  of  domestic  manufacture,  got  up  after  the  latest  im- 
proved convict  fashion.  I  should  have  mentioned  that  the  French 
prisoners  from  Lower  Canada,  were  not  sent  ashore  at  Van  Die- 
man's  Land,  but  were  sent  on  to  serve  out  their  probationship  at 
Sidney,  in  New  South  Wales.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  we 
landed,  Governor  Franklin  paid  us  a  visit  in  company  with  some 
of  his  officers.  Capt.  Wood,,  of  the  Buffalo,  and  Dr.  Frazier,  our 
surgeon,  were  present.  The  Governor  made  inquiry  of  our  com- 
mander concerning  our  behavior — if  we  had  caused  him  any  trou- 
ble during  our  passage ;  to  which  the  captain  replied,  not  in  the 
least  instance.  Dr.  Frazier  also  gave  the  Governor  a  certificate 
of  our  unqualified  good  conduct. 

There  were  four  prisoners  sent  from  Canada  for  some  offences, 
for  which  they  had  been  tried  by  the  civil  authorities,  and  sen- 
tenced, some  for  a  term  of  years,  and  some  for  life.  These  sen- 
tences were  now  again  read  to  them.  Sir  John  informed  us,  that 
we  were  sent  out  to  the  colony,  under  circumstances  without  a 
precedent ;  that  he  was  not  certain  what  was  the  pleasure  of  the 
home  government  in  disposing  of  us,  and  should  immediately 
write  to  Lord  John  RussoU  for  instructions;  and  until  he  should 
hear  from  her  Majesty's  Secretary  on  the  subject,  we  must  work 
on  the  roads.  He  recommended  to  us  to  hold  no  conversation 
with  the  old  prisoners,  as  they  were  a  desperate  and  hardened 
class  of  individuals,  and  that  the  term  of  our  servitude  would  be 
graduated  by  our  good  or  bad  behavior. 

The  next  morning  wo  were  sent  out  to  the  different  road  sta- 
tions to  work  out  our  enormous  taxes.  Here,  too,  we  were  put 
upon  a  rigid  course  of  dietetics.  Were  you  to  have  seen  us 
taking  our  daily  rations,  you  would  have  taken  us  for  the  tenants 
of  a  hospital  for  the  cure  of  dyspepsia.  Our  food  was  uniformly 
of  the  lightest  kind — not  in  the  least  hard  of  digestion.  Sir  John, 
in  the  plenitude  of  his  benevolence,  wished  us  to  expend  all  our 
energies  in  McAdamizing  our  ways,  not  in  digesting  English  lux- 
uries.  The  following  recipes  will  show  the  compounds  made 
use  of  to  appease  our  appetites,  but  it  did  not  always  have  the  de- 
sired effect:  .  . , 
Morning — 1 J  lbs.  coarse  bread,  a 
.";  .  .v..  .'n    !  ,.                       2  oz.  flour,  ! 

1  pint  water. 
The  flour  and  water  were  maae  into  gruel,  and  taken  with  the 
bread. 

.-}'  Noon — lib.  mutton,        ,,    • 


t-ji; 


■h 


■id 


?(* 


,.d  h- 


,...j. 


i  lb  potatoes. 


14 

The  mutton  was  not  considered  suitable  for  us,  till  the  clerks  and 
overseers  had  appropriated  to  themselves  the  pieces  which  suited 
their  cases  ;  and  they  were  by  no  means  so  disinterested,  as  to 
make  choice  of  a  poor  article,   while  a  better  one  was  to  be 

found.  '  ■"■■[■■'■      ■  ■ 

Evening— 2  oz.  flour, 

1  pint  water. 

This  Inst  prescription  was  again  put  up  in  the  shape  of  bkiddy, 
or  gruel,  and  taken  at  leisure  before  going  to  bed.  If  we  had  any 
thing  in  addition  to  this  pint  of  gruel  at  night,  it  would  he  a  slice 
of  bread  saved  from  our  morning  repast.  Two  ounces  of  salt  to 
a  man  per  week,  was  allowed  as  a  condiment,  or  for  sauce  to  make 
the  foregoing  catalogue  of  eatables  more  palatable.  Our  grujsl 
was  manufactured  like  patent  medicines,  in  large  quantities  at  a 
time,  and  measn.red  out  into  pint  skids  for  individual  use.  I  have 
seen  men  driven  to  the  necessity  of  picking  up  potntoe  skins  and 
cabbage  leaves,  which  they  would  boil  and  eat  to  quiet  their  hun- 
ger. Sugar,  tea,  coffee,  and  such  articles  were  unknown  to  us 
while  we  were  prisoners  on  the  island.  The  majority  of  our  par- 
ty had  imbibed  the  habit  of  using  tobacco,  but  now  we  were  com- 
pelled to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  give  it  up. 

The  articles  of  clothing  allowed  us  every  six  months,  were  one 
gray  jacket  or  roundabout,  one  pair  trousers,  one  striped  cotton 
shirt,  and  one  leather  cap.  We  were  entitled  to  one  pair  of  shoes 
every  four  months.  A  canvass  tick,  a  blanket  and  a  cotton  rug, 
constituted  our  bedding  for  two  years.  Two  ounces  of  soap  was 
given  us  every  week,  with  the  injunction  for  every  man  to  wash 
his  own  shin  Saturday  afternoon. 

Our  employment  consisted  in  leveling  down  hills,  and  levelling 
UP  valleys,  breaking  stone  and  drawing  them  in  hand  carts  to 
where  they  were  wanted,  for  making  and  mending  McAdamized 
roads.  After  we  had  been  on  the  roads  al)out  four  months,  four 
of  our  party  bolted  and  left  us,  with  the  determination  of  escap- 
ing from  the  island,  but  in  this  they  were  unsuccessful.  They 
were  retaken,  tried  for  absconding,  and  sentenced  and  ."ent  lo 
Port  Arthur,  to  spend  the  remainder  of  their  time. 

Port  Arthur  is  situated  on  a  point  of  land  which  projects  into  the 
sea,  some  sixty  or  seventy-five  miles  S.  E.  from  Hobart  Town, 
and  was  named  in  honor  of  Hir  George,  that  prince  oi  land  pirates, 
whom  we  have  before  mentioned,  and  is  known  as  being  the  place 
where  some  of  the  forms  of  cruelty  instituted  by  him  are  perpetu- 
ated. As  "doubly  convicted  offenders"  were  banished  from  Sidney 
to  Hobart  Town,  so  those  who  are  gui.ty  of  a  second  offence  at 
Hobart  Town  are  sent  to  Port  Arthur.  Where  they  are  sent  to  from 
this  place,  I  have  never  been  informed.  Perhaps  information  on 
this  subject  could  be  given,  on  application  to  the  hang-nun.  The 
town  is  situated  on  a  point,  which  is  connected  to  the  main  land  by 
a  narrow  neck,  and  the  escape  of  prisoners  is  prevented  by  chain* 


15 

ing  largo  savnge  dogs  so  close  to  each  other  across  the  neck,  that 
a  man  cannot  pass  between  them  without  being  seized  and  torn  in 
pieces.  These  dogs  are  provoked  daily  to  aggravate  their  feroci- 
ous dispositions.  The  buildings  at  Port  Arthur,  are  principally 
massive  stone  prisons,  but  I  thiiik  the  prisonti»c  who  escaped  from 
us,  were  not  confined  in  these,  but  were  put  to  work  in  the  Gov. 
ernment  gaiiien. 

In  consequence  of  these  men  leaving  so  abruptly,  the  remainder 
of  us  were  sent  fart"  ^r  back  into  the  country,  to  another  road  sta- 
tion called  Lovelybanks.  Here  we  received  the  hardest  fare  we 
experienced  on  the  island.  We  remained  at  this  place  through  the 
winter ;  our  work  was  a  mile  and  a  half  from  thestatiou,  and  fre- 
quently was  it  our  lot,  to  return  to  our  huts  this  distance,  through 
the  cold  and  rain  after  a  day's  hard  toiling,  and  have  to  lay  down 
for  the  night  with  our  clothes  drenched  with  water,  and  no  fire 
allowed  us  to  dry  them. 

Some  persons  may  be  of  the  opinion  that  we  might  have  escap- 
ed from  the  island,  had  we  possessed  an  ordinary  amount  of  cou- 
rage and  cunning.  But  this  is  an  undertaking  not  often  accom- 
plished by  the  most  resolute  and  unuaunted.  American  vessels 
frequently  stop  at  Hobart  Town,  but  before  they  drop  anchor  they 
are  boarded  by  a  brace  of  police  constables,  who  remain  on  board 
till  they  sail  again.  In  a  few  instances  sailors  have  furnished 
prisoners  with  a  suit  of  their  own  clothing,  and  conveyed  them  on 
board  unobserved  by  those  officers,  and  stowed  them  away  in  the 
hold  of  a  8hi|),  and  kept  ^Iiem  in  safety  ;  but  it  is  a  com- 
mon practice  where  I'apicion  rests  upon  a  vessel,  that  she 
has  such  ballast  n>  fasten  down  the  hatches,  and  smoke  the 
ship  with  brimstone,  and  thus  suffocate  the  prisoner,  if  on  board. 
At  Lovelybanks,  we  petitioned  the  Lieutenant  Governor  for 
tickets  of  leave,  for  which  we  were  severely  reprimanded  by  the 
magistrate.  A  ticket  of  leave  is  a  permit  to  work  for  wages, 
and  to  muster  every  Sunday,  that  the  district  Constable  may  know 
we  have  not  absconded.  The  magistrate  informed  us,  if  we 
wished  to  offer  a  petition  to  his  Excellency,  we  must  do  it  indi- 
vidually, but  the  bettor  way  was  not  to  do  it  at  all,  jointly  or  sev- 
erally. 

At  this  place,  two  more  of  our  party  bolted  :  they  left  the  hut 
in  the  night,  unobserved  by  the  watchman,  but  not  by  us.  They 
took  blankets  and  a  small  quantity  of  provisions  wi'h  them,  and 
went  to  the  bush.  Thoy  succeeded  in  getting  into  the  vicinity  of 
Hobart  Town,  intending  to  escape  from  the  island,  if  possible  ; 
but  no  opportunity  presenting  itself,  they  were  forced  by  their  suf- 
fering to  deliver  themselves  up  to  the  authorities,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  return  to  their  work  with  the  party.  Their  prayer 
was  not  granted,  however  ;  the  Government  having  greater  need 
of  their  services  at  Port  Arthur.  After  being  introduced  to  the 
severest  kird  of  labor  at  Port  Arthur,  one  of  these  men  become  par- 


16 


son's  clerk,  and  the  other  one  was  sent  to  a  signal  station,  to  tend 
the  telegraph,  so  that  they  v/ere  finally  better  off  than  some  of  us 
that  remained. 

If  a  convict,  sent  out  from  England,  or  any  of  her  colonies  is  re- 
taken aiier  bolting,  he  is  sure  to  have  an  addition  made  to  his  sen- 
tence, and  bo  flogged,  and  obliged  to  work  in  irons.  But  so  far  as  our 
party  were  concerned,  I  never  knew  of  a  man's  being  whipped 
or  compelled  to  wear  irons.  One  of  our  party  had  his  shoulder  dis- 
located, and  it  could  Eot  be  made  to  remain  in  place  afterwards,  if 
he  had  to  work.  It  was  so  injured  that  the  patient  could  dislocate 
or  replace  it  at  his  option.  Whenever  the  work  assigned  him  was 
too  hard,  his  shoulder  was  sure  to  be  out  of  place.  In  the  spring 
we  were  removed  from  Lovelybanks  to  a  place  called  Green  Ponds, 
in  Brighton  district,  about  twenty  miles  only,  from  Hobart  Town. 
1  would  here  remark  that  the  winter  months  in  Van  Dieman's  Laud, 
are  June,  July,  and  August ;  Spring — Sept.,  Oct.,  and  Nov.,  &c. 

At  Green  Ponds,  we  were  placed  under  tlie  Superintendence  of 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Robert  Nutman,  a  Scotchman.  He  was 
familiarly  known  by  that  of  Old  Bobby  Nutman,  and  his  cruel- 
ty to  the  prisoners  placed  under  him,  was  known  throughout  the 
island.  We  had  heard  of  his  whipping  men  nearly  to  death, 
and  the  old  prisoners  feared  him  as  tliey  wou!d  a  tiger  ;  but  to  us 
he  was  the  most  humane  and  indulgent  overseer  we  found  during 
our  residence  on  the  island.  He  told  us  that  the  murderers,  thieves 
and  robbers  who  had  been  placed  under  him  heretofore,  could  not 
be  governed  without  being  flogged,  but  he  thought  none  the  less  of 
us,  for  being  sent  there  for  political  oflfences.  He  allowed  some 
of  our  party  to  be  overseers  of  the  rest  of  us.  We  did  not  remain 
under  his  administration  long,  as  he  returned  home,  and  another 
took  his  place.  Capt.  Askins,  the  magistrate  of  that  district,  was 
favorably  disposed  towards  us,  and  allowed  our  party  all  the  im- 
munities which  the  nature  of  his  office  would  permit.  He  gave 
us  the  privilege  to  work  for  ourselves  every  Saturday  afternoon, 
and  as  it  was  now  harvest  time,  we  could  readily  get  a  half  dollar 
each,  for  our  half  day's  labor.  With  this  we  would  purchase  to- 
bacco, coffee,  sugar,  tea,  (fee.  But  the  old  prisoners  who  had  tick- 
els  of  leave,  and  those  who  had  obtained  their  freedom,  complained 
to  the  Chief  Police  Magistrate,  that  our  party  were  getting  all  the 
work  from  them,  and  this  privilege  was  taken  from  us  by  his  re- 
quest after  a  few  weeks.  It  was  true  that  the  farmers  would  em- 
ploy us  in  preference  to  the  old  prisoners,  as  long  as  we  had  the 
liberty  to  work.  Capt.  Askins  visited  us  frequently,  and  seemed 
to  take  an  interest  in  our  welfare,  and  spoke  often  of  our  honesty 
and  good  behavior,  in  comparison  with  that  of  other  prisoners. 
Capt.  Clark,  another  old  Magistrate,  who  had  been  in  America 
would  often  come  to  see  us,  and  make  inquiries  about  our  country. 
He  told  us  the  North  East  boundary  question,  was  about  being 
settled  by  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  and  gave  it  as  his 


I 


17 


tion,  to  tend 
some  of  us 

•loniea  is  ra- 
te to  his  sen- 
so  far  as  our 
Ing  whipped 
houlder  dis- 
fterwards,  if 
|uld  dislocate 
ned  him  was 
In  the  spring 
^ffeen  Ponds, 
bart  Town, 
man's  Land, 
d  Nov.,  &c. 
ntendence  of 
»n.     He  was 
nd  his  cruel- 
"oughout  the 
ly  to  death, 
T  ;  but  to  us 
found  during 
Jrers,  thieves 
re,  could  not 
le  the  less  of 
illowed  some 
d  not  remain 
and  another 
district,  was 
y  all  the  im- 
t.     Ho  gave 
f  afternoon, 
a  half  dollar 
purchase  to- 
r-ho  had  tick- 
complained 
iting  all  tho 
»  by  his  re- 
}  would  em- 
we  had  the 
and  seemed 
9ur  honesty 
prisoners, 
n  America 
ur  country, 
ibout  being 
ive  it  as  his 


opinion,  that  when  that  should  tako  place,  we  should  .be  set  at 
liberty,  and  could  return  home. 

While  we  were  here,  Governor  Franklin,  in  passing  by,  called 
to  see  us,  and  from  the  stormy  appearance  of  his  old  care-worn 
countenance,  we  were  convinced  that  ho  had  not  come  to  pardon 
us.  We  soon  found  that  some  one  had  again  taken  the  dangerous 
liberty  to  petition  his  Excellency  for  tickets  of  leave — whom  he 
knew  not,  or  we  either.  He  called  the  petition  the  round  robin, 
which  is  an  instrument  with  signatures  attached  to  it  in  a  circular 
form,  so  that  the  first  or  last  signer's  name  cannot  be  distinguished. 
He  reprimanded  us  severely  on  account  of  the  escape  of  the  two 
priioners  at  Lovely  banks — told  us  we  could  not  get  off  the  island 
— if  we  attempted  it,  and  fled  to  the  bush,  he  should  order  the  mil- 
itary  force  to  pursue  and  take  us,  and  if  we  offered  resistance  we 
would  be  shot  down — if  by  any  means  we  should  be  so  lucky  as  to 
escape  from  the  island  and  get  home  to  America,  he  would  send 
there  for  us,  and  have  us  brought  back,  &c.,  &c.  When  he  made 
this  last  declaration,  it  completely  upset  the  confidence  we  had  in 
the  rest  of  his  harangue  ',  and  .satisfied  us  that  his  address  was  man- 
ufactured for  the  "  Buncome"  market.  After  listening  to  this 
"  war  speech"  from  his  Excellency,  we,  one  and  all,  just  wished 
uurselves  in  America,  for  the  sport  of  the  thing,  if  nothing  else. 

In  March,  1841,  Sir  John  came  again  to  see  us  at  the  Green 
Ponds,  accompanied  by  his  private  Secretary  and  some  other  offi- 
cers, and  had  us  arraigned  again  to  listen  to  another  speech.     He 
informed  us,  that  in  accordance  with  the  promise  made  us,  when 
we  first  arrived  at  the  island,  that  he  had  written  to  Lord  John 
Russell,  Her  Majesty's  Secretary  for  Foreign  Affairs,  cc  jerning 
us,  and  had  now  received  an  answer  from  his  Lordship.    He  then 
ordered  his  Secretary  to  read  Lord  John's  letter  to  us,  and  in  this 
letter  his  Excellency  was  instructed  to  "give  those  political  pris- 
oners any  indulgence  you  may  think  proper,  with  the  exception 
of  allowing  them  to  return  home,  to  endanger  the  safety  and  well 
being  of  the  North  American  colonies.     By  this  dispatch  we  saw 
that  Sir  John  might,  if  he  was  so  disposed,  give  us  the  liberty  of 
the  island,  but  instead  of  so  doing,  he  informed  us  that  at  the  expi- 
ration of  two  years  from  the  time  of  our  landing,  we  should  have 
tickets  of  leave  for  any  part  of  the  island,  or  that  we  might  make 
•ihoice  of  any  district  on  the  island,  and  have  a  ticket  for  the  same. 
1  le  accordingly  kept  us  ten  and  a  half  months  longer  on  the  roads, 
and  then  granted  us  the  tickets  under  very  arbitrary  restrictions. 
( -apt.  Wright,  our  superintendent,  who  succeeded  old  Bobby  Nut- 
man,  was  an  inhuman,  overbearing,  unprincipled,  incarnate  devil, 
—he  worked  us  incessantly,  would  not  grant  us  the  least  favor  if 
lie  could  avoid  it,  and  made  his  boast  that  "  he  would  subdue  that 
d — d  independent  Yankee  spirit  of  ours  if  possible."     If  he  sue 
ceeded  in  so  doing,  we  have  not  yet  learned  Uie  fact.    For  some 
trivial  offence,  he  several  times  reported  some  of  our  rp^  toCapt. 

B 


18 


Askins,  the  Magistrate ;  but  of  his  complaint  the  captain  took  no 
notice.  We  soon  alter  entered  complaint  against  him,  for  with- 
holding from  us  a  part  of  our  rations,  which  charge  Capt.  A.  in- 
vestigated, and  found  true,  and  reprimanded  the  superintendent, 
and  had  our  allowance  restored.     '"' '"         '," 

Wright  caused  every  nook  and  corner  of  our  huts  to  he  search- 
ed, for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  journal  which  one  of  our  party 
was  keeping,  in  which  he  was  fearful  the  journalists  would  not  do 
him  justice.  He  did  not,  however,  succeed  in  finding  it,  and  most 
probably  remains  ignorant  to  this  day  of  our  actual  opinion  of  his 
contemptible  meanness.  Not  long  after  this  aflair  with  our  superin- 
tendam,  our  party  was  removed  to  another  road  station,  at  Bridge- 
water,  twelve  miles  above  Hobart  Town,  on  the  Derwcnt.  Here  we 
were  separated  for  the  first  tifne  since  landing  on  the  island,  into 
smaller  companies  of  from  ten  to  twenty  men  each,  and  sent  to 
different  stations  to  labor,  and  obliged  to  work  with  the  old  convicts. 
This  we  did  not  like,  as  we  had  been  cautioned  against  associating 
with  bad  company  by  the  Governor,  and  now  were  compelled  to 
disobey  orders.  The  company  of  twenty  to  which  I  belonged, 
was  sent  to  a  station  called  Brown's  river,  to  work  on  a  new  stone 
prison,  which  was  being  built  on  a  high  hill,  about  three  fourths 
of  a  mile  from  the  Bay.  This  prison  was  to  have  a  cell  for  each 
of  its  occupants.  From  this  place  we  had  a  delightful  view  of  all 
the  shipping  that  sailed  to  and  from  Hobart  Town.  It  seemed 
impossible  for  our  new  associates  to  live  without  stealing.  They 
were  locked  into  their  huts  nights,  and  a  watchman  placed  out- 
side. They  would  frequently  climb  out  at  the  top  of  the  chim- 
ney, and  get  to  the  ground  unnoticed  by  the  watchman — go  to  a 
neighboring  potato  patch — take  what  potatoes  they  could  fetch 
away — return  down  the  chimney,  and  roast  and  eat  their  plunder. 
If  taken  in  one  of  these  excursions,  they  were  sure  to  get  a  flog, 
ging,  and  be  put  to  hard  service  in  irons.  I  have  known  prison- 
ers receive  the  sentence  of  "three  months  hard  labor  in  irons," 
for  the  justifiable  offence  of  stealing  a  few  potatoes  from  a  patch, 
to  get  rid  of  starvation. 

Bolting  was  of  frequent  occurrence  at  this  station.  I  recollect 
seven  that  left  in  one  day.  These  were  taken  and  brought  back 
in  a  short  time,  and  some  of  them  received  as  many  as  seventy, 
five  lashes,  and  were  sent  to  the  coal  mines  for  twelve  months. 
Three  men  at  one  time  left  the  station,  one  of  whom  had  been  a 
regular  in  the  British  service  in  Canada.  They  stole  some  meat; 
then  went  to  a  njill  in  the  vicinity,  and  took  a  quantity  of  fliour; 
and  then  kidnapped  a  donkey  to  carry  their  plunder.  The  Con- 
stables captured  them  in  the  night,  as  they  were  busy  in  the 
woods  cooking  their  provisions,  and  upon  examination,  it  was 
found  that  the  fiour,  meat,  donkey  and  all  belonged  to  the  magis- 
trate before  whom  they  were  arraigned.  They  were,  of  course, 
"dealt  with  as  the  law  directs."  •^'■ 


m->*m' 


captain  took  no 
him,  for  with- 

fe  Capt.  A.  in. 

[superintendent, 

Its  to  be  search- 
of  our  party 
Its  would  not  do 
^ing  it,  and  most 
1  opinion  of  his 
'ith  our  superin- 
tion,  at  Bridge- 
went.  Here  we 
t^e  island,  into 
h,  and  sent  to 
leold  convicts, 
inst  associating 
J  compelled  to 
!h  I  belonged, 
on  a  new  stone 
It  three  fourtJis 
»  cell  for  each 
tftil  view  of  all 
'n.     It  seemed 
saling.     They 
in  placed  out- 
P  of  the  chim- 
man — go  to  a 
>y  could  fetch 
their  plunder, 
to  get  a  flog, 
^nown  prison- 
or  in  irons," 
from  a  patch, 

•     I  recollect 
brought  back 
/  as  seventy- 
elve  months. 
'  had  been  a 
'  some  meat; 
tity  of  flour; 
The  Con. 
busy  in  the 
lion,  it  was 
'  the  magis- 
>  of  course, 


' 


I 


It  was  a  common  thing,  on  Saturday  afternoon,  when  we  went 
to  the  beach  to  do  our  washing,  to  catch  a  few  craw  and  other 
kinds  of  fish,  which  we  would  cook  and  eat  after  our  return. 
When  this  was  found  out,  it  was  strictly  forbidden  ;  we  were  told 
to  eat  nothing  that  Providence  should  ofFor  us,  unless  it  was  first 
sanctioned  by  the  British  government. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1842,  Mr.  Skein,'lhe  superintendent, 
told  us  to  make  choice  of  any  one  of  six  districts  which  he  might 
mention,  and  the  Governor  would  give  us  a  ticket  of  leave  for  the 
same.  This  was  not  in  accordance  with  the  promise  made  us  by 
the  Governor  at  Green  Ponds,  that  we  should  have  tickets  for  any 
part  of  the  island.  The  six  districts  given  us  to  choose  from  were 
nil  situated  back  in  the  country,  that  we  might  not  get  to  Hobart 
Town,  or  any  other  seaport,  and  escape  from  the  island.  Oat- 
land,  Campbolltown,  Bothwell,  Hamilton,  Fingal  and  Swanport 
were  the  districts  assigned  us  to  select  from.  Some  of  us  pre- 
ferred one,  and  some  another ;  and  on  the  l.'Jth,  we  went  to  the 
chifif  police  magistrate  in  Hobart  Town  and  took  our  tickets. 

We  received  our  tickets  sooner  than  prisoners  in  general;  their 
own  convicts  have  to  work  on  the  road  two  years,  and  are  then 
LOANED  to  the  settlers  for  a  number  of  years  more,  according  to 
the  nature  of  their  sentence.  We  were  sent  out  into  the  couniry 
immediately,  and  soon  found  that  a  ticket  of  leave  was  a  Magna 
Charta  on  a  very  small  scale ;  and  that  we  held  our  liberty  by  a 
very  precarious  tenure  ;  for,  upon  the  slightest  provocation,  the 
almighty  little  country  magistrate  would  wrest  it  from  us.  I  be- 
lieve that  none  of  the  American  patriots,  however,  were  so  un- 
lu(!ky  as  to  loose  their  tickets. 

Now,  when  we  were  permitted  to  work  for  ourselves,  wages 
had  become  very  low,  and  our  party  generally  found  it  difficult  to 
get  steady  employment.  In  1843 — 4,  a  good  ticket-of-leave  man 
could  got  no  more  than  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  week,  unless  he 
was  a  mechanic  ;  if  so,  he  might  get  a  dollar  a  day,  and  board  him- 
self Fifteen  of  our  party  concluded  to  join  hands  and  work  a 
farm,  and  were  invited  by  an  oid  gentleman  and  his  son,  of  the 
name  of  Kermode,  to  take  a  farm  of  three  hundred  acres,  of  good 
land,  to  sow  to  wheat  and  oats.  The  old  man  was  a  member  of 
the  Governor's  council.  The  farm  was  situated  in  the  Oatland 
district — the  owner  was  to  furnish  teams  to  do  the  work,  and  pro. 
vide  provisions  for  us  at  a  fair  price.  We  accordingly  took  the 
farm,  and  in  a  few  weeks  had  the  surface  of  it  nearly  covered 
over  with  seed.  At  this  time  we  had  to  pay  six  English  shillings 
per  bushel  for  seed  wheat,  and  three  for  oats.  Our  crop  proved  to 
be  a  very  good  one  ;  only  about  fifteen  acres  of  the  wheat  was 
injured  by  the  frost ;  and  on  the  10th  day  of  December,  1842,  we 
commenced  harvesting.  We  were  engaged  ten  and  a  half  weeki 
in  cutting  and  putting  into  shocks  our  three  hundred  acres  o. 
grain,  during  which  time  v^^e  had  but  one  slight  shower  of  rain. 


20 


We  drew  it  to  a  threshing  machine,  in  the  vlcinit}',  which  wa.s 
impelled  by  water  power,  and  had  it  threshed  and  cleaned  ;  and 
on  measurement  we  found  that  for  the  labor  we  had  experded  in 
cultivating  the  FACE  of  "mother  earth,"  during  the  summer,  she 
had  yielded  us  an  income  of  three  thousand  bushels  of  wheat,  anil 
a  little  over  three  thousand  bushels  of  oats. 

There  wns  now  one  serious  drawback  to  our  prosperity,  ami 
that  was,  while  our  wheat  and  oats  had  beer,  orowino  up,  prices 
had  been  growing  down  hill.  Three  shillings  per  bushel  for 
wheat,  and  one  shilling  and  sixpence  for  cats,  or  just  one  half  of 
what  we  paid  for  seed,  was  all  we  could  get  for  our  stock  on  hand  ; 
and  after  deducting  our  expenditures,  we  had  about  ten  pounds  a 
piece,  English  currency,  left ;  and  as  our  tickets  prevented  our 
being  fed  at  the  public  crib,  or  clothed  at  government  expense,  we 
soon  found  ways  and  moans  by  which  to  rid  ourselves  of  the  whole 
of  our  cash  capital,  as  well  as  stock  in  trade. 

In  speaking  of  the  natural  history  of  Van  Diemau's  Land,  1 
omitted  to  speak  of  one  animal,  more  savage,  and  feared,  than  all 
others  put  together,  that  have  ever  been  found.  It  is  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  a  species  of  the  degenerate  tribe  of  man,  and 
is  known  throughout  the  eastern  world  by  the  name  of  Bushran- 
ger. This  class  of  beings  were  first  found  to  infest  the  island 
during  the  administration  of  Sir  tteorge  Arthur,  and  were  indebted 
for  their  orighi  to  the  rigor  and  cruelty  with  which  this  tyrant 
reigned  over  his  fellow  man.  They  had  been  imported  convicts, 
who,  after  suffering  all  the  forms  of  punishment  which  the  in- 
ventive genius  of  Sir  George  could  contrive,  were  driven  to  des- 
peration, and  took  refuge  in  the  bush  or  woods,  and  assumed  and 
maintained  the  character  of  robbers,  murderers,  &c.  These  des- 
peradoes, when  they  are  driven  to  the  necessity  of  bol'^ino,  or 
breaking  loose  from  the  restraints  of  slavery,  and  joining  the  stan- 
dard of  the  Rangers,  are  ripe  for  tny  deeds  of  daring  that  may 
oiTer. 

The  free  population  of  the  island  are  thinly  scattered  over  the 
country,  generally  several  miles  apart,  or  wherever  good  land 
and  water  may  be  Jbund.  After  a  colony  had  been  planted  on 
the  island,  the  home  Government  ofiered  great  induceinents  to 
oniigrants  to  turn  their  attention  in  that  direction.  They  wished 
a  part  of  the  wealth  of  England,  which  was  continually  gf'ing 
out  to  foreign  coimtries,  to  be  depositi^d  here,  and  oftered  an  acre 
of  land,  selected  by  the  settlers  at  will,  for  every  pound  atcrling, 
in  money  or  property  brought  on  to  the  island.  Tliis  lad  a  ten- 
dency to  make  large  land  owners  of  persons,  who  possessed  but 
a  moderate  fortune  in  the  mother  country  ;  and  it  was  no  uncom- 
mon thing  to  see  the  farms  of  single  individuals  containing  ten, 
twenty,  thirty  and  even  as  many  as  fifty  thousand  acres  of  land. 
On  these  farms  might  be  seen  from  five  to  fifteen  thousand  sheep, 
five  or  fifteen  hundred  bead  of  horned  cattle,  and  from  two  to  five 


,  which  wa.s 

cleaned  ;  and 

experded  in 

summer,  she 

)f  wheat,  and 

osperity,  and 
lo  UP,  prices 
er  bushel  for 
t  one.  half  of 
ock  on  hand ; 
ten  pounds  a 
)revented  our 
;  expense,  we 
of  the  whole 

au's  Land,  I 
■ed,  than  all 
It  is  nothing 
of  MAN,  and 

of  BuSHRAN- 

ist  the  island 
vere  indebted 
h  this  tyrant 
ed  convicts, 
hich  the  in- 
iven  to  des- 
assumed  and 
These  des- 
BOL'^iNG,  or 
ing  the  stan- 
ig  that  may 

ired  over  the 
T  good  land 

planted  on 
iccinents  to 
'hey  wished 
ually  going 
red  on  acre 
md  sterling, 

lad  a  ten- 
assessed  but 

no  uncom- 
taining  ten, 
es  of  land, 
sand  sheep, 
two  to  five 


91 

)r  seven  hundred  horses.     Such  a  division  of  property  created  an 
iristocracy  but  little  inferior  to  the  same  article  found  in  England, 
ind  this  made  it  easy  for  the  Bushranger  to  carry  on  hispredalory 
»poratinn9  with  the  greater  safety. 

Those  men  are  equipped  with  fire-arms,  and  knives,  and  as  a 
renoral  thing,  go  in  companies  of  two  or  three  only,  and  lay  in 
Flie  woods,  or  on  some  neighboring  hill,  during  the  day,  to  ascer- 
lain  the  strength  of  the  farmer's  forces,  and  watch  their  opera- 
lions.     In  the  evening,  when  they  have  made  choice  of  an  indi- 
vidual on  whom  to  bestow  a  special  call,  they  sally  forth  with 
ituns  loaded  with  double  charges — rush  into  the  farm-house  ;  and 
"  there  is  no  particular  demonstration  of  resistance  on  the  part 
^f  thoinmntes,  one  of  the  Rangers  proceeds  to  secure  the  farmer 
Ind  his  household,  by  tying  their  hands  behind  them  and  putting 
lem  all  into  one  room  together,  where  an  armed  guard  is  placed 
^ver  them      Then  the  house  is  thoroughly  searched  for  money, 
mtchcs,  clothing,  guns,  ammunition,  provisions,  and  other  valu- 
|blos  and  necessaries ;  and  though,   from  the  urgency  of  their 
lusinoss,  their  calls  are  necessarily  short,  still  they  make  a  clean 
•weep.     If  they  find  more  of  this  world's  goods   than  they  can 
laiulily  carry  off,  they  compel  one  of  the  occupants  of  the  house 
|d  assist  in  conveying  it  into  the  bush,  when  he  is  allowed  to  re- 
Mrn  in  safety.     When  they  decamp  from  the  premises,  they  leave 
Acir  prisoners  tounloosc  themselves  according  to  the  best  of  their 
||)ility.     Sometime,  they  take  horses  from  iho  stable  for  the  pur- 
pose of  transporting  their  traps,  shiners,  yellow  boys,  and 
luNT  rags  into  the  country,  and  then  let  ihem  go  to  return  home. 
%  is  seldom,  or  never,  that  they  kill  a  man,  unless  war  is  declared 

Stlie  door  by  the  party  feeling  himself  aggrieved.  At  such  times 
cy  sttmd  for  the  rights  granted  to  persons  in  all  civilized  coun- 
tl^les,  of  fighting  in  self  defence.  The  interior  of  the  island  is 
iiountnlnous,  and  they  generally  select  some  cavern  on  the  hill 
*  K\  far  back  from  the  retreats  of  the  settlers,  as  a  secure  place  of 
sposit.  Whon  they  do  commit  a  murder,  the  government  oflTers 
reward  for  their  heads  ;  and  any  convict  who  shall  take  them, 
in  have  the  reward,  a  free  pardon,  and  a  passage  to  England. 
Hien  robberies  are  committed,  the  district  constables  are  put 
Ipon  the  track,  with  instructions  to  continue  the  chase  till  the 
lungers  are  brought  in.  This  keeps  a  gcxxl  many  of  these  petty 
inctionaries  in  active  service,  during  the  greater  part  of  their 
inn  of  ofTice.  Rut  the  Bushrange.  s  are  caught  almost  daily,  and 
WW  accessions  are  made  to  their  numbers  as  often,  and  on  the 
whole  their  ranks  are  increased  rather  than  diminished.  The 
Military  and  tickct-of-leave  men  are  frequently  called  out  to  hunt 
ifcem.  Mr.  Gunn,  the  chief  police  magistrate  of  the  island,  had 
Kit  one  arm,  the  other  having  been  shot  away  by  a  Bushranger 
•any  years  ago.  1  recollect  that  one  day,  two  of  these  banditf«, 
<lf  the  names  of  Jeffrevs  and  Conallv,  were  seen  bv  a  constable 


32 


I 


to  enter  a  hut ',  and  he  thought  it  would  bo  both  sportive  and  prof- 
itable to  take  them  alone,  as  a  bounty  had  been  offered  for  their 
arrest.  The  constable,  whose  name  was  Ward,  rushed  in  upon 
them,  seized  one  and  threw  hir"  upon  the  floor,  and  was  strangling 
him,  when  the  other,  at  the  ...gent  cries  of  his  friend,  stepped  up 
and  ordered  Ward  to  let  up  his  comrade,  or  he  would  shoot  him. 
To  this  Ward  replied,  he  would  never  release  his  hold  till  he  was 
secure,  or  as  long  as  he  had  breath.  The  Ranger  then  placed  the 
muzzle  of  his  gun  to  Ward's  head,  and  blew  his  brains  out. — 
They  then  fled,  and  left  Ward  on  the  floor,  a  horrible  spectacle 
to  behold-  A  reward  of  one  hundred  pounds,  free  pardon,  and 
passage  to  Kngland,  was  immediately  offered  for  these  two  [mr- 
sons,  w'^ether  taken  dead  or  alive.  They  were  hunted  day  t  nd 
night,  and  w^re  finally  taken  by  two  of  our  party,  in  company 
with  a  few  constables.  The  reward  was  equally  divided  among 
them,  and  our  men  returned  home  to  America  in  safety,  by  way 
of  England.    The  Bushrangers  were  tried  and  executed. 

There  are  some  of  the  Rangers  who  will  rob  a  ticket-of-leave 
man  as  soon  as  any  other  indi'.  idual  ;  but  as  a  common  thing- 
they  leave  such  unmolested,  and  pay  special  attention  to  the  ricji 
settlers  only.  A  constable  and  a  Bushranger  happened  to  come 
within  a  few  rods  of  each  other  one  day,  without  the  one  discov- 
ering the.  other.  They  both  raised  ihcir  guns  to  shoot  nt  the  same 
moment.  Here  they  stood  eyeing  each  other,  neither  daring  to 
pull  trigger.  The  constable  told  him  if  he  would  lay  down  his 
gun,  he  should  not  be  shot.  The  Ranger  concluded  that  "discre- 
tion was  the  better  part  of  valor,"  and  consented  to  capitulate. — 
Upon  subsequent  examination,  it  was  found  that  the  constable's 
gun  was  not  loaded,  but  its  moral  effect  on  the  robber  was  the 
same. 

Three  men,  named  Cavenagh,  Cash  and  Jones,  became  celebra- 
ted as  gallant  intrepid  and  generous  Bushrangers  throughout  the 
country — the  two  former  Irishmen,  the  la  iter  an  Englishman. 
They  were  never  known  to  offer  an  incivility  to  a  female,  or  rob 
a  ticket-of-leave  man  or  any  otiiur  prisoner.  It  was  however  no 
uncommon  thing  for  tbeni  to  stop  a  stage  coacli,  and  ask  the  pas- 
sengers to  "  fork  over"  their  wat  ;lies,  money,  jewelry  and  cloth- 
ing. If  they  hesitated  about  deliveiing  the  latter,  from  modesty 
or  other  cause,  then  the  generous  scoundrels  would  propose  to  ex- 
change coats,  pants,  &C.  They  would  commit  a  iobbery  one 
night,  and  the  next  be  heard  of  forty  or  fifty  miles  distant.  One 
evening  they  called  at  a  tavern,  and  drove  the  company  into  one 
room.  Cavenagh  watched  at  the  door,  CAsh  guarded  the  family, 
while  Jon9s,  being  light  fingered,  was  set  to  '*  weeding."  The 
landlord  told  them  his  "  better  half"  was  sick  in  one  of  the  cham- 
bers. They  assured  him  that  his  wife  should  not  be  disturbed. 
Having  finished  their  business,  they  bid  him  good  night ;  but  had 
not  proceeded  far  before  soldiers  and  constables  were  after  them. 


ive  and  prof- 
red  for  their 
ihcd  in  upon 
as  strangling 
j,  stepped  up 
lid  shoot  him. 
d  till  he  was 
in  placed  the 
)rnins  out. — 
ible  spectacle 
pardon,  and 
lese  two  por- 
ited  day  tnd 
in  company 
vided  among 
fety,  by  way 
uted. 

icket-of-leave 
mmon  thing- 
)n  to  the  ricii 
sned  to  come 
10  one  discov- 
it  nt  the  same 
her  daring  to 
lay  down  his 
that  "discre- 
capitulato. — 
le  constable's 
bber  was  the 

mme  celebra- 
iroughout  the 

Englishman, 
female,  or  rob 
s  however  no 

ask  the  pns- 
ry  and  cloth- 
rom  modesty 
>ropose  to  cx- 

iv»bbcry  one 
Jistant.  One 
any  into  one 
d  the  family, 
ding."  The 
of  the  cham- 
be  di.sturbed. 
;ht ;  but  had 
e  after  them. 


2S 


A  few  shots  were  exchanged,  but  it  being  dark,  the  Rangers  es- 
caped with  their  booty.  Nothing  delighted  them  more  than  to  rob 
the  Magistrate's  house.  Ai  one  time,  a  notice  made  its  appear- 
ance in  the  newspapers,  like  this  : 

"The  undersigned  respectfully  solicits  the  attendance  of  the  Lieut.  Gov- 
ernor, his  Private  Secretary,  Chief  Police  Magistrate  and  other  officers,  at 
Park  Hill  on  a  certain  day,  at  eight  o'clock  P.  M.,  to  take  supper.    There 
will  be  a  band  of  police  constables  in  attendance,  that  no  harm  may  result. 
Your  humble  servant  when  taki^n, 
(Signed,)  MARTIN  CASH." 

These  three  noted  individuals  had  once  made  their  eacape  from 
Port  Arthur.  While  prisoners.  'Jiey  practiced  various  athletic 
exercises,  such  as  jumping,  running  and  wrestling,  and  thus  pre- 
pared themselves  for  hards'.nps.  They  were  strong  and  well  built. 
Like  others  of  their  profiission,  after  filling  i,!-  jir  age  "  with  deeds 
and  not  with  lingering  years,"  they  were  finally  overtaken  by 
justic  i  think  the  last  of  their  performance?  came  off  at  the 
house  of  Capt.  Horton,  a  British  officer,  who  resided  in  Campbell- 
town  district.  They  had  been  watching  the  movements  of  "  men 
and  things"  about  the  Captain's  house  through  the  day,  and  at  night 
pounced  upon  it.  They  sprung  to  the  back  kitchen,  secured  all 
the  servants,  and  then  hastened  round  towards  the  front  door.  As 
they  were  making  for  this,  they  discovered  the  steward  running 
to  get  in  ahead  of  them.  Jones  called  to  him  to  stop,  but  the 
I  steward  not  obeying,  Jones  fired  and  wounded  him,  but  not  mor- 
tally. They  all  three  now  rushed  into  the  house  so  suddenly  that 
(^apt.  Horton  was  not  prepared  to  give  them  a  warm  reception. 
They  ordered  him  to  stand  and  be  tied,  to  which  the  Captain  was 
not  disposed  to  submit.  Cash  threatened  to  shoot  him,  if  he  did 
not ;  to  which  the  Captain  replied,  "  I  am  perhaps  as  ready  to  die 
as  you  are  !"  Upon  hearing  this  brave  reply,  Cavenagh  raised 
his  hand  and  ordered  Cash  not  to  fire.  They  now  inquired  for 
Mrs.  Horton,  and  were  informed  that  she  was  not  at  home.  As 
they  had  hoard  some  one  raising  a  window  when  they  entered  the 
house.  Cash  inquired  of  the  Captain  if  his  wife  had  gone  to  notify 
the  police  ?  Tlieii  suspicions  proved  to  be  well  founded — she 
had  jumped  out  of  tho  window — ran  about  half  a  mile  to  the  near- 
est neighbv)r — gave  Iho  alarm — ana  in  thirty  minutes  fifty  men 
surrounded  tho  house  ;  but  the  Bushrangers  had  slipped  out  a  mo- 
ment before.  They  were  pursued — but  in  vain.  They  got  but 
little  money  this  time,  with  one  watch  and  a  gun.  Another  reward 
was  now  of^erod  for  their  apprehension,  together  with  a  free  par- 
don, and  oassage  to  England.  It  was  supposed  they  must  have 
gr-at  quantities  of  watches,  money,  guns,  pistols,  jewelry  and  other 
val  -bles  in  deposit,  but  where  this  depot  was  loco'ed  never  came 
to  light.  It  was  long  before  the  slightest  trace  of  their  wherea- 
bouts could  be  ascertained.  At  length  Cavenagh  was  found,  badly 
wounded,  at  a  shepherd's  hut,  far  back  in  the  woods.     Cash  had  a 


M 


wife,  who  had  ieA  him  some  time  before  this,  and  had  gone  to  Ho- 
bart  Town  to  live.  He  now  was  fully  determined  to  go  and  see 
her,  regardless  of  what  might  follow.  He  and  Jones  accordingly 
left  their  hiding  place,  and  went  into  Hobart  Town. 

Many  of  the  Constables  here  knew  Martin  Cash  as  an  old  of- 
fende,,  and  he  had  been  so  particularly  described  in  the  newspa- 
pers, that  any  one  who  had  read  them,  could  easily  pick  him  out. 
He  changed  his  clothing  every  day,  but  he  had  not  been  there 
long,  before  he  was  recognized,  and  the  name  of  such  a  notori- 
ous individual  was  enough  to  create  a  general  alarm.  Jones 
dodged  the  police  and  made  his  escape  from  the  town.  He  wan- 
dered about  for  a  few  weeks,  and  was  then  taken  after  being  shot 
in  the  face.  He  was  tried  and  executed  for  shooting  Captain  Hor 
ton's  steward.  Cash  finding  himself  the  "  observed  of  all  observ- 
ers," started  to  run  from  his  pui-suers — he  could  easily  outstrip 
any  of  them,  but  found  it  impossible  to  escape,  where  they  met 
him  at  every  corner.  He  was  armed  at  every  point,  and  wlien  he 
found  himself  completely  surrounded,  he  bade  them  stand  off  or 
suffer  the  consequence.  He  shot  one  man,  a  Constable,  ^or  dis- 
obeying his  order,  and  broke  away  once  more  from  the  crowd.  Ho 
was  soon  after  surrounded  again,  and  compelled  tu  surrender. — 
He  and  Caveuagh  were  now  tried,  and  sentenced  to  the  Norfolk 
islands  for  life.  I  think  it  is  to  these  islands  the}  send  the  "  dou 
bly  convicted  felons"  of  Port  Arthur.  From  these,  I  never 
heard  that  there  was  an  appeal.  Thus  ends  the  short  and  mel- 
ancholy history  of  these  three  convicts.  Nature  intended  them 
for  a  nobler  sphere  of  action  ;  but  by  indulging  their  vicious  pro- 
pensities so  freely,  they  finally  brought  upon  themselves  temporal 
and  eternal  infamy. 

I  have  now  but  little  more  to  say  concerning  the  remainder  ot 
my  stay  at  Van  Dieman't,  Land.     In  1843-4,  the  American  pris 
oners  found  it  difficult  to  get  work,  and  pricef   vere  very  low. — 
On  the  12th  of  October,  1844,  I  received  the  joyful  news  that 
my  free  pardon  had  been  granted ;  and  what  heightened  my  joy 
was,  that  twenty-eight  others,  American  prisoners,  were  liberated 
with  me.     The  names  of  those  pardoned  at  this  time,  were,  Chan 
cey   Sheldon,   Luther   Darby,  Nathan  Whiting,  Samuel  Snow, 
John  Oilman,  Ira  Polly,  Nelson  Griggs,  Gideon  Goodrich,  Fldwanl 
A.  Wilson,  Daniel  D.  Heustis,  John  Cronkhite,  John  Thomas. 
Elizur  Stevens,  Leonard  Delano,  Joseph  Thompson,  James  D.  Fo 
ro,  Henry  V.  Barnum,  Robert  Marsh,  George  Brown,  Eloa  F  I 
lows,  David  House,  Jerry  Griggs,  Bemis  Woodbury,  John  Swans 
burgh,  John  Grant,  Orin  W.   Smith,  Hiram  Sharp,  Emmanuel 
Garrison,  and  Alvin  B.  Sweet.     We  are  informed  that  Mr.   Bi- 
cheno,  the  Colonial  Secretary,  received  the  above  names  from 
Mr.  Everett,  the  American  Minister  at  the  Court  of  London.     Mr. 
Bicheno  informed  Mr.  Hathaway,  the  American  Consul  at  Hobart 
Town,  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Everett's  letter ;  and  in  a  week  wo 


I 


"-""'  ^  Wril  r  ■  fl  ^ft^Ml'l>■l■l■M^■'H 


d  gone  to  Ho- 

0  go  and  see 
accordingly 

as  an  oJd  of- 

1  the  newspa- 
pick  him  out. 
ot  been  there 
ich   a  notori- 

arm.     Jones 
n.     He  wan- 
er  being  shot 
Captain  Hor- 
of  all  observ- 
asily  outstrip 
ere  tliey  met 
,  and  when  he 
I  stand  off  or 
table,  for  dis- 
3  crowd.     Hp 
surrender. — 
i  the  Norfolk 
nd  the  "  dou- 
ese,    I  never 
iort  and  mel- 
titended  them 
r  vicious  pro- 
Ives  temporal 

remainder  ol 
nerican  pris- 

very  low. — 
ul  news  that 
encd  my  joy 
'ore  liberated 

were,  Chan 
imuel  Snow, 
rich,  EdwanI 
>hn  Thomas, 
Fames  D.  Fe- 
n,  Elou  F  1- 
JohnSwons- 
I  Emmanuel 
hat  Mr.  Bi- 
namos  froni 
)ndon.  Mr. 
lul  at  Flobarr 

a  week  wo 


as 

were  cited  to  appear  at  the  police  office,  where  our  parchment  of 
freedom  awaited  us.  And  now,  that  we  were  at  liberty  ro  leave 
this  country,  to  which  none  ot  us  had  formed  attachments  that 
would  cause  pain  in  dissolving,  our  anxiety  to  find  a  passage  home 
increased  daily.  We  waited  impatiently  two  long  months,  before 
an  American  vessel  made  its  appearance.  On  the  I5th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1845,  the  Steiglitz,  Capt.  Selah  YounM,  an  American  wha- 
ler from  Sagharbor,  N.  Y.,  came  up  to  Hobart  Town  to  repair. 
We  soon  formed  an  acquaintance  with  the  Captain,  and  entered 
into  a  negotiation  for  a  passage  to  some  other  part  of  the  world. 
He  left  fourteen  of  his  own  men  at  Hobart  Town,  on  account  of 
theh"  bad  conduct  on  the  voyage  out,  and  agreed  to  take  twenty- 
five  of  us  on  board,  when  he  should  get  ready  to  sail.  He  was 
bound  to  the  North- West  coast  of  America  for  whales,  but  told 
us  if  he  should  fall  in  with  a  ship  homeward  bound,  he  would  get 
us  aboard  ;  if  not,  leave  us  in  Otaheite,  one  of  the  Society  islands 
in  the  South  Pacific  ocean.  He  was  fitted  for  a  three  years  cruise. 
The  Captain  was  one  of  the  mosL  kind  and  obliging  men,  and  we 
readily  consented  to  sail  with  him.  On  Monday  evening,  thi^  27th, 
the  repairs  on  ship-board  being  completed,  we  left  the  land  with 
thankful  hearts.  On  the  28th,  our  ship  broke  ground,  and  anchor- 
ed again,  and  on  the  29th,  the  sails  weie  unfurled  to  the  breeze, 
and  we  proceeded  down  the  river.  And  now  that  we  were  so  rap- 
idly leaving  the  shores  of  this  far  famed  island,  after  a  residenc? 
upon  it  of  hve  years,  we  could  say  with  emphasis — 

Farewell,  Van  Dieman,  ruin's  gate, 

With  joy  we  leave  thy  shore; 
And  fondly  hope  our  wretched  fate, 

Will  drive  us  there  no  more. 

We  had  seen  misery  in  all  of  its  varied  forms  ;  we  had  seen  how 
prone  man  is  to  tyrannize  over  his  brother,  when  clothed  with 
"  brief  authority,"  ;  -^d  we  had  learned  to  cherish  the  institutions 
of  our  own  beloved  country — our  native  land.  We  had  thought  of 
the  moral  influence  exerted  upon  the  minds  of  r*^ildren  of  the  free 
population  by  being  associated  with,  and  surrounued  by  so  many  of 
the  most  vicious  human  beings  the  world  ever  saw;  we  had  in  count- 
less instances  seen  total  depravity  tersonified.  When  we  re- 
viewed the  scenes  we  had  passed  through  ;  the  misery  we  had  esca- 
ped, and  the  dangers  to  which  we  hnd  been  exposed,  we  could  not 
withhold  our  prayers  of  gratitude  and  thanksgiving.  On  the  8th 
of  February,  off  the  island  of  New  Zealand,  wo  spoke  the  ship 
Midas  of  New  Bedford.  She  had  lost  her  Captain  by  consumption ; 
the  mate  was  in  command.  The  same  day,  we  passed  a  few  small 
and  dangerous  rocks,  on  which  vessels  have  frequently  struck. — 
On  the  11th,  the  man  aloft  cried  out  whale-o.  Three  boats  were 
lowered  immediately,  and  made  directly  for  this  monster  of  the 
deep.  To  us,  who  had  never  seen  a  whale  taken,  the  undertak- 
ing seemed  hazardous,  and  wo  looked  on  with  anxiety. 


26 


I 


The  sailors  pull  close  along  side  of  the  whale,  and  the  steers- 
man thftws  the  iron  or  harpoon.  If  it  fastens,  the  whale  shoves 
off,  or  goes  down.  The  harpoon  has  a  wooden  handle,  to  the  end 
of  which,  is  fastened  a  rope,  which  is  wound  on  to  a  roller  in  the 
bow  of  the  boat.  If  the  whale  moves  faster  than  they  can  row, 
the  line  is  run  out — if  they  gain  on  him  again,  it  is  taken  in.  If 
they  can  pull  up  to  his  whaleship  a  second  time,  they  commence 
throwing  lances  into  him  about  the  gills.  When  he  spouts  blood 
his  doom  is  sealed,  and  the  prize  is  secured  to  the  adventurers. 
Sometimes  they  go  down,  and  draw  out  several  hundred  fath- 
oms of  line,  and  it  is  sometimes  the  case  that  the  line  has  to  be 
cut,  to  prevent  the  boats  being  drawn  under.  It  is  no  uncommon 
thing,  for  boats  to  be  stove  in  pieces,  by  the  whale  in  the  agonies 
of  death.  In  the  present  instance,  Capt.  Young's  boat  was  upset, 
and  all  hands  thrown  overboard.  The  mate's  boat  also,  had  a 
hole  stove  in  her  bottom,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  she  returned  to 
the  ship.  But  they  conquered  the  old  fellow — the  ship  wore  away 
to  them,  and  he  was  lashed  along  side  for  dissection.  The  work- 
men now  commenced  cutting  him  in  pieces.  I  noticed  the  skin 
of  the  whale  was  very  tiiin  and  delicate  for  so  large  a  monster. 
The  blubber  or  fat  is  from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  thickness. — 
Planks  are  slung  over  the  sides  of  the  ship  for  the  workmen  to 
stand  on,  and  the  gangways  into  the  bulwarks  are  opened.  They 
do  their  cutting  with  spades  made  for  the  purpose,  with  handles 
from  ten  to  twelve  feet  in  length.  They  cut  a  place  in  the  blub- 
bcr,  into  which  is  fastened  an  iron  hook  of  the  size  of  a  man's  arm 
and  this  is  fastened  by  a  tackle  into  the  main-mast,  above  the  main 
hatches.  While  the  men  with  the  spades  are  cutting,  others  at 
the  windlass  are  raising  the  hook,  and  in  this  way  they  will  in  a 
short  time  peal  up  a  piece  twelve  feet  in  length  by  six  or  eight  in 
width.  This  is  raised  above  deck,  over  the  main  hatches,  when 
the  hook  is  cut  loose,  and  it  falls  with  a  heavy  crash  on  the  deck 
below,  where  it  is  cut  into  smaller  pieces  for  trying.  When  the 
blubber  and  head  is  taken  off,  the  carcass  is  let  loose,  and  serves 
as  food  for  sharks,  who  are  generally  in  readiness  to  help  them- 
selves. In  this  way,  a  few  men,  ar'd  as  many  sharks,  will  use  up 
a  large  whale  in  a  short  time.  The  h  -d  of  the  right  whale  con- 
tains the  conuiion  black  whale-bone  of  the  markets.  The  head 
of  the  spermaceti  whale  is  valued  on  account  of  its  ivory  teeth. 
The  blubber  is  placed  upon  a  bench  or  table,  and  sliced  into  thin 
pieces,  with  an  instrument  resembling  a  currier's  knife,  and  is 
then  thrown  into  the  boilers.  Two  or  three  potash  kettles,  set  in 
brick  arches,  built  up  square,  are  generally  in  use  for  trying  the 
blubber.  At  each  corner  of  the  brick  arch  there  is  a  larf  >  cast 
iron  standard  fastened  into  the  deck  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the 
try-works  steady  and  firm  in  their  place  in  all  kinds  of  rough 
weather.  The  fire  is  started  under  the  kettle  with  wood,  after 
which  it  is  kept  up  by  taking  out  the  scbapb  with  a  copper  skim- 


1 


27 


mer,  and  using  them  for  fuel.  The  oil,  when  separated,  is  dip- 
ped out  of  the  kettles  into  large  copper  coolers  and  from  these  it 
is  put  into  barrels  and  pipes  and  stowed  away  below. 

A  man  is  aloft  at  the  main-top,  and  another  at  the  fore-lop  from 
morning  till  night  in  good  weather,  to  keep  lookout  for  whale. 
This  watch  is  kept  up  by  turns  of  two  hours  each.  When  a 
SPOUT  is  discovered,  it  is  duly  announced  by  the  cry  of  whale-o. 
The  inquiry  is  then  made,  whereaway  ?  and  the  .significant  an- 
swer will  be,  three  points  ofl'  lee  bow,  or  two  points  off  weather 
bow,  lee  beam,  weather  beam,  or  right  ahead.  If  right  ahead, 
the  ship  keeps  on  her  way  ;  if  two  points  weather  bow,  they  brace 
the  yards  and  keep  her  up,  &c.,  Ate.  As  soon  as  the  small  boats 
are  lowered,  a  sentinel  is  sent  to  the  mast  head,  to  vva»",h  the  move- 
ments of  the  whale.  This  man  has  a  blue  flag,  ,d  a  stick  or 
wand,  with  a  black  ball  attached  to  the  end  of  it  to  guide  the  boats 
to  the  whale,  for  the  swells  of  the  sea  hides  him  from  the  pursuers 
till  they  are  nigh  upon  him.  When  the  whale  is  up  and  spouting 
the  man  aloft  elevates  hia  flag,  and  points  towards  him  with  his 
wand,  and  the  crew  pull  hard  at  their  oars.  When  he  goes  down 
the  flag  is  lowered,  and  the  hands  cease  rowing  lest  they  might 
pass  him.  When  he  rises  and  blows  again,  he  may  be  in  an  op- 
posite direction,  and  his  location  is  again  pointed  out  by  the  man 
at  the  mast  head.  These  small  boats  continue  the  chese  some- 
times for  miles  ;  a  squall  may  spring  up  and  drive  them  entirely 
out  of  sight  of  the  ship,  and  night  overtake  them.  In  such  in- 
stances lights  are  put  aloft  to  direct  them  back  again.  If  they  do 
not  come  in,  muskets  are  discharged — if  this  is  not  sufficient,  the 
Bia  GUN  is  loaded  and  fired  at  short  intervals. 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1845,  we  came  to  one  of  the  Society  isl- 
ands, named  Rematura  on  the  chart.  The  Steiglitz  lay  off  and 
on  during  the  day,  and  Captain  Youngs  and  the  fust  mate  went 
ashore  with  two  of  the  small  boats  to  barter  with  the  natives  for 
fruit  and  other  provisions.  The  island  abounds  with  cocoa-nuts, 
oranges,  limes,  lemons,  bananas,  taro,  yams  and  other  valuable 
vegetable  productions.  The  oflicers  brought  ofl"  four  boat  loads 
of  fruit,  vegetables  and  fowls.  The  King  lives  on  the  island,  and 
he  received  Captain  Young  and  his  men  with  cordiality,  and  show- 
ed them  every  attention.  The  King  gave  them  dinner  while  they 
were  on  shore,  and  these  hardy  and  rough  sailors  were  not  so 
weather-beaten,  but  that  his  Majesty's  daughters  esteemed  it  an 
honor  to  fan  the  flies  from  them  while  they  were  eating.  There 
was  an  American  here  who  served  as  King's  interpreter  ;  his  wife 
was  a  native  of  the  Sandwich  islands.  We  left  this  island  on  the 
day  of  our  arrival,  and  on  the  23d  ve  arrived  at  Otaheite,or  Ta- 
hita,  the  largest  of  the  Society  cluster  of  islands.  These  islands 
are  situated  in  the  South  Pacific  ocean,  between  lat.  16  and  18, 
S  ,  and  Ion.  149  and  152  W.,  and  were  discovered  by  Capt.  Cook 
in  1769.  .,,  ' 


28 


Tahita  is  about  30  miles  long,  and  20  in  width.  The  popula- 
tion of  this  island  alone,  was  estimated  by  Capt.  Cook  at  200,000, 
but  it  is  now  said  net  to  exceed  10,000. 

On  the  morning  of  our  arrival  the  wind  died  away,  and  left  us 
outside  the  harbor  in  a  calm.  Capt.  Youngs  and  five  or  six  of  his 
men  lowered  a  small  boat  and  went  ashore,  leaving  us  to  come  up 
when  the  breeze  should  favor  us.  Several  American  whale  ships 
were  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  ;  we  also  found  a  French  man-of- 
war  here,  which  had  placed  the  principal  town  under  martial 
law.  The  French  and  natives  were  expecting  to  have  a  brush. 
in  consequence  of  which  the  American  Consul  thought  it  not  ad- 
visable for  us  to  stop  here,  as  we  had  anticipated,  when  we  left 
Van  Dieman's  Land.  After  remaining  here  a  short  time,  nq  ac- 
cordingly continued  our  voyage  with  Captain  Y.  to  the  Sajidwich 
islands.  On  the  I3th  April,  we  crossed  the  Equator,  and  on  the 
23d,  we  spoke  the  whaler  Levant  of  Sagharbor. 

Thursday,  the  24lh  of  April,  we  came  in  sight  of  Owhyhee, 
or  Hawaii,  the  largest  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  on  the  27th 
we  arrived  at  Honolulu,  the  port  of  entry  and  principal  town  on  the 
island  of  Oahu  or  Woahoo,  belonging  to  the  same  group.  These 
islands  are  situated  in  the  North  Pacific  ocean,  between  latitude 
18  and  23  N.,  and  long.  154  and  160  W,,  and  were  also  discov- 
ered by  Captains  Cook  and  King  in  1778.  It  was  at  Hawaii  that 
Capt.  Cook  was  killed  by  the  natives.  They  received  their 
name  in  honor  of  Lord  Sandwich,  of  the  British  Admiralty.  The 
population  of  the  whole  group  was  estimated  by  Capt.  King  at 
400,000,  but  since  that  time  it  has  diminished  to  such  an  extent, 
that  Ellis,  in  his  "Tour through  Hawaii"  in  1887.  only  puts  it 
at  1.50,000,  a  great  diminution  of  the  population.  The  principal  of 
the  Sandwich  Islands  are  Hawaii,  containing  4000  square  miles, 
and  8.5,000  inhabitants;  Maui,  600  square  miles,  and  20,000  in- 
habitants ;  Oahu,  520  square  miles,  and  20,000  inhabitants,  and 
Atooi,  525  square  miles,  with  10,000  inhabitants.  Most  of  the 
islands  are  mountainous  and  volcanic.  On  some  of  them  the  fire 
is  extinguished,  while  on  others  volcanoes  are  seen  in  successful 
operation.  The  climate  is  warm,  but  not  unhealthy;  the  winter 
being  marked  only  by  the  prevalence  of  heavy  rains  betMeen 
December  and  March.  The  greatest  heat  during  the  year  does 
not  exceed  ei^.Jty -eight  Fahrenheit,  and  the  least  is  about  sixty. 
The  only  species  of  quadrupeds  originally  found  in  these  islands, 
were  a  small  kind  of  hogs,  dogs,  and  a  sort  of  rat.  Since  then 
cattle,  sheep,  horses,  goat,  &c.,  have  been  sent  out  and  are  now 
found  in  plenty  on  most  of  the  islands.  An  abundance  of  sea- 
fowl  are  found  on  the  coasts,  and  in  the  interior  n  species  of  par- 
rot, and  a  kind  of  woodpecker,  with  which  the  images  of  the  gods 
were  formerly  adorned.  The  vegetable  productions  are  taro,  or 
arum,  yam,  bread-fruit,  cocoa-nut,  and  strawberry.  Oranges, 
grapes,  and  other  tropical  fruits  have  been  introduced  and  do  well. 


I<«MK.N  1 


20 

The  situalion  of  the  Sandwich  islands  render  them  irnportani 
lO  vessels  navigating  the  Northorn  Pacific,  partly  for  repairs  and 
provisions,  and  partly  in  commercial  respects.  After  the  visit  of 
Vancouver  in  1792,  they  were  not  much  visited  for  a  number  of 
years,  except  by  traders  from  the  United  States,  who  having  dis- 
covered among  them  the  sandal  wood,  conveyed  large  quantities 
of  it  to  China,  where  it  is  burnt  in  the  temple  of  their  gods.  The 
prosecution  of  ihe  whale  fishery  on  the  coast  of  Japan  has  greatly 
enhanced  the  importance  of  these  islands. 

The  natives  are,  in  general,  rather  above  the  middle  stature, 
well  formed,  with  fine  muscular  limbs,  and  open  countenance. 
Their  hair  is  black  or  brown,  and  sometimes  curly  ;  their  com- 
plexion a  kind  of  olive,  and  sometimes  a  reddish  brown.  Their 
language  is  a  dialect  of  that  spoken  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  So- 
ciety Islands.  They  are  of  a  mild  and  gentle  disposition,  inquis- 
itive and  intelligent ;  but  previous  to  the  abolition  of  their  idola- 
trous religion,  the  practice  of  sacrificing  human  victims  prevail- 
ed among  them.  Since  their  adoption  of  Christianity  they  have 
made  no  less  wonderful  progress  in  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  than 
in  moral  character. 

After  the  last  visit  of  Capt.  Cook  in  1779,  the  islands  were  in- 
volved  in  a  series  of  destructive  wars  between  several  rival  chiefs, 
for  undivided  sovereignty.  The  result  of  these  struggles  wae  the 
ascendency  of  Tamehameha,  chief  of  Hawaii,  a  sagacious,  en- 
terprising and  ambitious  prince.  He  built  a  navy,  and  armed 
his  guard  in  the  European  manner,  fortified  his  palace  with  can- 
non, encouraged  commerce,  and  introduced  many  mechanical 
arts  among  his  subjects.  On  his  death  in  1819,  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Rihoriho  ;  and  about  the  same  lime  idolatry  was  abol- 
ished, and  their  images  burnt.  During  the  last  year  of  his  reign, 
Tauai,  or  Attooi,  and  Nihau,  the  only  islands  of  the  group,  not 
subdued  by  Tamehameha,  submitted  to  his  government.  Rihori- 
ho  and  his  queen  died  m  England  in  1824.  The  present  sove- 
reign of  these  islands  is  Kamehameha  III. 

In  1820,  a  mission  was  established  at  Hawaii  by  the  American 
Hoard  of  Foreign  Missions.  The  first  missionaries  fortunately 
arrived  just  after  the  abolition  of  the  national  idolatry,  and  their 
efibrts  have  been  attended  with  great"  success.  Not  only  have 
they  introduced  the  arts,  customs,  and  comforts  of  civilized  so- 
fiety  among  tiiem,  but  the  Christian  religion  has  bef.n  embraced 
by  nearly  the  entire  population. 

Honolulu  contains  about  8,000  native  inhabitants,  together  w  ith 
about  200  or  300  foreigners.  The  majority  of  the  foreigners 
are  Americans,  the  rest  are  English  and  French,  with  a  few  Chi- 
namen, &c. 

The  natives  are  very  kind  to  each  other,  and  also  to  strangers. 
If  friends  are  separated  for  a  short  time,  when  tkey  next  meet, 
tijey  always  embrace  and  kiss  each  other.     They  seldom  whip 


30 


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I 

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their  own  children.  When  they  walk  the  -'reet  they  go  hand  in 
hand.  The  foreigners  have  good  houses,  and  there  are  several 
large  churches  at  Honolulu,  all  of  which  have  bells.  The  King's 
church  is  built  of  coral  rock,  is  very  large  and  after  the  fashion 
of  American  meeting  houses. 

During  my  stay  at  Honolulu,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Armstrong,  an 
American  Missionary,  preached  in  the  King's  Church  in  the  na- 
tive language.  Rev.  S.  C.  Damon,  from  Conn.,  preaches  at  the 
Bethel  in  English.  I  noticed  they  had  a  sjnall  organ,  and  good 
singing  at  this  place.  The  Rev,  Mr.  Smith  also  preaches  to  a 
largo  Church  and  congregation  of  natives  every  Sabbath.  He 
has  a  good  choir  of  native  singers  in  American  style.  They  use 
the  tunes  I  had  been  accustomed  to  hear  in  my  own  country,  but 
sing  in  their  own  language.  Mr.  Smith  informed  me  that  under 
his  superintendence,  the  natives  had  built  the  meeting  house  and 
finished  il. 

The  United  States  Government  has  a  Commissioner  and  also  a 
Consul  who  reside  here.  Here  is  also  a  large  quantify  of  Amer- 
ican Naval  Stores,  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Stevens  of  the  Navy. 
These  are  necessary  to  supply  our  men-of-war,  while  cruising  in 
the  Pacific. 

The  princ  pal  article  of  food  made  use  of  by   the  natives  are 
taro,  and  pel.e,  or  fish.     Taro  grows  on  irrigated  lands,  and  Dr. 
Judd,  an  j*merican,    first  learned  the  natives  how  to  culiivate  it 
with  succcfs.     There  is  a  small    creek  running  from   the  valley 
back  of  Honolulu,  and  in  the   vicinity  of  this,   the  earth  is  culti- 
vated in  patches  of  the  size  of  our  gardens.     The  dirt  is  thrown 
up  around  the  edges   of  these  patcties,  and  the    water  from  the 
creek  is  let  out  upon  them.     The  patch  is  thrown  into  hills  two 
feet  aj  art,  and  the  top  of  the   h.ll   is  two  or  three  inches  above 
the  V  ater  that  stands  between  them.    The  root  is  then  set  in  these 
hills,  and  grows  in  the  shape  and  to  the  size  of  a  common  beet, 
The  top  grows   to  the  height  of  three  feet — has  three  or  four 
stalks,  on  the  top  of  which  is  a  single  leaf.     When  the  root  is  full 
grown,  it  is  pulled  and  eaten  or  carried   to  market,   and  another 
seMn  its  stead.     In  this   way,    they    are  kept  growingthc  whole 
year.     The  taro  is  a  nutritious   and   wholesome  article  of  food 
for  foreigners  and  natives.     When   boiled   and  peeled,  it  is  of  a 
light  (   lor,  having  blue  spots  in  it.     There   are  many  ways  of 
cooking  it.     Many  of  the  foreigners  boil  it,  then  cut  it  in  slice.s 
and  fry  it,  after  which  it  resembles  in  taste,  an  old  fashioned  Yan- 
kee short  cake.     The  natives  prepare  't  for  food  in  quite  a  difier- 
ent  way  from  this.     They  commonly  roast  it,  take  ofl*  the  outside 
and  then  lay  it  on  a  rock  plank,  and  beat  it  to  a  mass  with  a  stone 
pestal.     This  works  it  into  a  lump  like  dough.    Then  it  is  put  into 
a  calabash  that  will  hold  a  pail  full — water  is  added,  and  it  is  stirred 
till  it  becomes  thick  and  ropy  like  wax.  Thisiscalled  poy  by  the  na- 
tives.    At  meal  times  the  family  place  themselveson  the  flag  carpet 


mimmm 


81 

around  this  calabash  of  poy;  each  one  dips  in  his  forefinger  to  which 
it  fastens,  and  as  it  does  not  require  to  be  chewed,  it  is  soon  got  along 
with.  They  also  roast  their  fish  in  the  fire,  after  wrapping  a  co- 
coa leaf  around  them.  After  roasting,  they  put  them  on  a  plate 
with  vinegar,  and  generally  eat  them  with  the  poy.  Some  of  the 
lower  classes  seem  to  relish  still  a  good  roasted  dog  or  cat,  occa- 
sionally. It  has  been  estinnated  that  a  cent  and  a  half  a  day  will 
pay  the  board  bill  of  a  Sandwich  Islander,  the  year  round. 
The  natives  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  generally  bear  a  striking 
resemblance  to  each  other,  and  their  language  is  very  nearly  the 
same. 

There  were  a  few  of  the  natives  of  New  Zealand,  and  the  Mar- 
quesas Islands  at  Honolulu.  I  noticed  they  were  all  tattooed. 
On  the  island  of  Hawaii  is  a  volcanic  mountain  which  is  now 
continually  belching  forth  fire  and  smoke.  It  hnd  remained  dor- 
mant for  a  long  time  till  within  a  few  years.  Doctor  J udd  visit- 
ed it  while  it  was  quiet,  in  company  with  a  few  of  the  natives. 
He  descended  a  shoii  distance  into  the  mouth  of  the  crater  to  in- 
vestigate its  internal  structure,  and  look  into  the  yawning  abyss 
below.  While  he  was  in  this  perilous  position,  he  suddenly  felt 
the  mountain  to  be  in  agitated  motion,  and  at  the  same  time  heard 
a  rumbling  noise  in  the  cavern  below.  The  natives  who  had  not 
ventured  in,  but  stood  near  by,  instantly  recognized  the  alarming 
indications,  and  sprung  to  the  relief  of  the  Doctor.  They  seized 
him  by  the  collar  and  drew  him  out  instantly,  and  the  next  mo- 
ment the  eruption  broke  tbrth,  and  has  continuod  ever  since.  Dr. 
Judd  is  now  Home  Secretary  to  the  King. 

While  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  several  American  war  vessels 
called  at  Honolulu.  Upon  our  arrival  there  we  were  received 
by  the  American  residents  as  brothers.  When  they  were  inform- 
ed that  we  were  Canadian  patriots  of  1838,  and  had  suffered  much 
and  long  for  being  engaged  in  the  cause  of  liberty,  they  welcomed 
us  to  the  shore,  and  supplied  our  wants. 

The  Steiglitz  remained  here  but  a  short  time,  and  proceeded 
on  her  voyage  to  the  N.  VV.  Coast.     Seven  of  our  party  shipped 
with  Capt.  Youngs;  three  engaged  on  board  the  whaler  Samuel 
Robinson,  of  New  Bedford ;  two  went  to  the  Columbia  River ; 
two  to  California,  and  eleven  of  us  remained  at  Honolulu.     Capt. 
Youngs  saw  Capt.  Dyke  of  the  whale  ship  Canton,  at  Tahita,  and 
informed  him  that  he  had  twenty-five  Canadian  patriots  on  board 
who  we.""}  anxious  to  return  home.     Capt.  Dyke  told  him  that  he 
should  return  from  the  North  West  Coast  at  the  close  of  the  whal- 
ing season,  and  he  would  call  at  Honolulu  ;  if  any  of  us  were 
there  he  would  take  us  aboard.     Capt.  Dyke  accordingly  arrived 
at  Oahu  about  the  first  of  October,  1845,  and  made  immediate 
inquiry  for  the  Steiglitz  men.     !About  this  time  six  more  of  our 
party  shipped  on  the  Samuel  Robinson,  and  Mr.  Sheldon  obtained 
a  passage  on  board  the  U.  S.  sloop  of  war  Levant,  bound  for  the 


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I 


west  coast  of  Mexico.  Elizur  Stevens,  Gideon  Goodrich,  und 
myself  accepted  of  Capt.  Dyke's  offer,  and  took  passage  on  the 
Canton. 

AUthings  being  ready  for  the  homeward  voyage,  on  the  12th  of 
November,  the  canvass  was  spread  to  the  breeze,  and  we  sailed 
from  the  harbor  of  Honolulu.  We  leisurely  made  our  way  across 
the  smooth  water  of  the  Pacific,  and  in  a  few  weeks  we  found 
ourselves  again  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Society  Islands,  at  one  of 
which  Capt.  Dyke  bartered  with  the  natives  for  sixteen  hogs  and 
a  quantity  of  fowls.  Soon  after  this  a  tremendous  gale  overtook 
ns  iii  the  night.  The  wind  made  sad  havoc  among  the  rigging, 
and  the  rain  descended  in  torrents.  Before  morning  the  fore-top- 
sail  was  carried  away,  but  from  the  dexterity  and  good  manage- 
ment of  the  officers  and  crew,  all  further  accidents  were  prevent- 
ed. Just  as  we  had  doubled  Cape  Horn,  the  southern  extremity 
of  South  America,  a  second  gale  struck  us,  but  as  old  Neptune 
would  have  it,  it  spent  its  fury  right  aft.  With  sails  close  reef- 
ed we  scudded  away  before  the  wind  with  rail-road  speed  for  six 
days  and  nights. 

It  was  in  February  or  mid-summer,  when  we  were  off  tape 
Horn.  But  this  did  not  prevent  our  having  plenty  of  cold  rain 
and  snow  storms,  in  this  high  southern  latitude.  The  only  port 
we  called  at  was  Bahia,  on  the  Brazil  coast.  Here  we  took  on 
wood,  water,  provisions,  &;c.  Captain  Stanhope  of  Rhode  Island, 
took  passagfc)  with  us  from  this  place,  and  we  weighed  anchor,  and 
stood  for  the  U.  S.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  re- 
mainder  of  the  voyage.  The  first  land  descried  was  Montauk 
Point  on  Long  Island,  and  after  a  run  of  nearly  six  months  from 
Honolulu,  the  Canton  arrived  at  New  Bedford,  on  tlie  2d  day  of 
May,  1846. 

Thus  after  seven  years  and  five  months  absence,  were  we  per- 
mitted by  a  kind  Providence,  to  hail  with  unspeakable  delight, 
the  gladsome  shores  of  free  America.  I  now  hastened  to  Ohio, 
and  not  having  heard  from  my  wife  and  children  since  I  left  Fort 
Henry,  in  1839, 1  knew  not  whether  they  were  dead  or  alive.  I 
found  them  in  the  enjoyment  of  health,  and  shall  leave  the  read- 
ers to  imagine  my  feelings  on  being  presented  to  the  open  arms 
of  an  overjoyed  family.      .  ,     ;  .j,  .,,:,,,;,,' 

In  conclusion,  I  would  tender  my  heartfelt  gratitude  to  all  who 
have  relieved  my  wants,  and  have  contributed  to  the  conofort  of 
my  family,  while  I  was  separated  from  them.  I  have  been  ne- 
cessarily  restrained  from  doing  justice  to  a  description  cf  the  coun- 
tries which  have  come  under  my  view,  and  the  details  of  my  pas- 
sage home,  and  residence  in  the  penal  colony  are  but  faintly  de- 
lineated, and  I  am  happy  to  be  informed  that  some  of  my  brother 
exiles  are  preparing  for  publication  since  their  return,  a  history 
which  shall  embody  sketches,  anecdotes,  and  incidents  that  I  have 
necessarily  omitted. 


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